Racing was back in a big way on Sunday at Sha Tin as over 66,000 racegoers joined us to kick off our new season – and we all stayed relatively dry too after the typhoon stayed well away from Hong Kong. At the same time, we registered a record turnover for a season opening meeting of HK$1.29 billion, including more than HK$100 million from our commingling business. I was incredibly pleased with the results and believe it is a good omen for the season.
Our champion jockey Joao Moreira also enjoyed a flying start as he won each of the first five races of the day, including the feature HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup with last season’s Classic Mile runner-up Seasons Bloom. This Danny Shum-trained horse showed plenty of potential and I think he is one of the up-and-coming horses that is worth to follow in the coming months. Our horse population has been in a transition period with some notable retirements in the last few months, so it is good to see a horse like Seasons Bloom run well and hold an early aim to the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile.
We hope for a good start tonight at the opening of our Happy Wednesday season tonight. Coincidentally, it also marks the start of the Hong Kong Airlines Million Challenge. We are very happy to welcome our newest sponsor, on board for the next three seasons. This locally-based carrier is one of the fastest expanding operators of the region and we believe this partnership, which includes a number of flight giveaways to our racing fans, will enhance further the festive atmosphere at Happy Wednesday.
As usual we will have eight exciting races on the card, with the Community Chest Cup being the feature race of the night. The Community Chest is a superb organization in Hong Kong, organizing fund-raising events each year in Hong Kong. Benefitting more than 160 member social welfare agencies that reach more than two million beneficiaries, I am proud to serve as one of its board members, and also that the Jockey Club serves as its partner-in-charity to subsidise the Chest’s administrative expenses, allowing all of the Chest’s funds raised to go to charitable use.
In this Class 3 event over 1200m, which goes as the sixth race of the night, the pace is likely to be good with I’m A Witness drawn inside and with Dylan Mo taking off a valuable seven pounds. Primero has shown good speed in his trials of late and could also go forward. Peace N Prosperity, who led in a trial with I’m A Witness, might show speed too with Matthew Poon aboard. Shanghai Master should track the speed, with Who Else But You behind, but both are at risk of being caught wide. Dollar Reward should get a good position just behind the speed with Brave Legend in midfield and General Iron likely to save ground. Powermax has been versatile and could settle midfield.
With three wins over the course and distance, and working well in the morning, Powermax is my main win and place chance for Umberto Rispoli and Richard Gibson, both of whom had a good start to our season on Sunday. Peace N Prosperity and General Iron are both multiple course and distance winners and are working well, while Dollar Reward ended the season with a very close third over this trip. If the pace is particularly quick, all three horses could run on well and are also win and place hopes. Shanghai Master could land a placing if he has improved in the off season, and is working well. His first run at Happy Valley last season was solid.
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