The final race meeting for 2018 in Hong Kong is a rearranged fixture to replace the card lost to the typhoon in September.
This sort of rescheduling can pose challenges with a limited horse population, but I am delighted to see that owners and trainers have supported a day that will mark the 40th anniversary of Sha Tin racecourse.
There have been many major milestones in Hong Kong racing history but, without the vision of building a new racecourse and training centre, Hong Kong racing would have never have had a chance to grow to a world class level.
A few small fishing and farming communities have transformed into a thriving metropolis – home to 600,000 people as well as some of the world’s best racehorses – and for many years now Sha Tin racecourse has played a vital role in Hong Kong’s sporting and community life.
The historic events along the way are too many to mention but opening up the Hong Kong Invitation Cup to overseas runners in 1988 laid the foundations for what has become one of the world’s great racing occasions – namely the LONGINES Hong Kong International races.
Hosting the equestrian events for the 2008 Beijing Olympics was another major highlight, as was the creation of the Hong Kong Sports Institute on the site, and the rapid growth of our racing business since Sha Tin first opened has enabled the Jockey Club to contribute HK$307 billion in tax and HK$39 billion in charity donations over that 40-year period.
Looking back just three weeks, it seems highly fitting that Sha Tin’s 40th birthday coincided with the first time in history that Hong Kong horses completed a clean sweep of all four LONGINES HKIR G1 contests.
That memorable feat shows exactly how far Hong Kong racing has come since Sha Tin was created and I wish everyone a successful day as we look forward to the next forty years at one of the truly great arenas in world sport.
There are eight horses in the 14-runner Shek Mun Handicap eligible for the Club’s $850,000 High Achievement Bonus, which is a nice top-up to the $1.95m prize money for the Class 2 test at 1400m run as the final race of 2018 in Hong Kong.
Regency Bo Bo will show his usual good speed from a wide gate along with Gold Win, while Mr So And So should be in the box seat from his inside draw.
Superich is a win and place chance despite coming up short over course and distance as an odds-on favourite in his last two runs. He has a good turn of foot and should be closing off nicely from a midfield position.
Mr So And So is a last start winner and is a place chance as he returns from his Conghua base in top form. He is stepping up in grade but should get a perfect trip.
Fast Most Furious is a place chance with the step up in trip and Regency Bo Bo, the controlling speed, should not be overlooked.
The Sha Tin Racecourse 40th Anniversary Cup is run as race 5 and is a Class 3 over the straight 1000m course. California Archer should be well placed and while gate 3 is not ideal he is my first choice for a win and place with the in-form de Sousa on board
Diamond Dragon, ridden by Teetan, is going very well and is my next choice for a win or place. Happy Victory, a dual winner over sprint distances in New Zealand, is an interesting newcomer ridden by Purton and I see him as a place chance.
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