And so we move into the second month with special measurements to minimise the risk of coronavirus in place.
Sporting bodies around the world are feeling the impact – with the JRA among those to impose strict attendance limits this week – but having acted early we can now consider plans to aid a loyal section of supporters who have been particularly affected.
With that in mind, and without compromising public health, the Club has decided to open some Off-Course Betting Branches between 9.30am and 6pm on Mondays and Thursdays starting on Monday 2 March.
The list of OCBB’s which will open is at the bottom of this Blog and only limited services – cashing-in of vouchers and winning tickets, opening accounts and making deposits into accounts – will be provided. Betting on racing and football will not be available and the Mark Six lottery also remains suspended.
As with current restricted raceday entry, customers and staff will be required to wear medical masks and receive temperature screening before entry. Only a limited number of customers will be able to enter at one time and, if necessary, an outside queueing system will be implemented.
The Club hopes these new measures assist some of our valued customers and would also like to take this opportunity to announce that from 5 March it will be launching the new HKJC eWallet. Further details will follow but this new service will provide OCBB customers with an additional and faster means of opening accounts and making deposits.
For me, it is vital that we continue to make prudent decisions as new information reveals itself. However, recent events remind us of the need to keep moving forward on the international stage and this week’s news about phase two of our World Pool project is welcome in that regard.
Following on from last year’s historic first World Pool at Royal Ascot, an agreement is now in place for Hong Kong to act as the hub for a similar project to be rolled out for the Super Saturday (7 March) and Dubai World Cup (28 March) meetings at Meydan.
This project differs from Ascot in that there is no domestic betting in Dubai. However, our partners in Australia, Canada, Europe, Singapore and the USA will all commingle into the Hong Kong pool and we are delighted to add to the World Pool rota in a way that will create another golden opportunity to harvest the full potential of global racing.
The international angle is also in the news here this week with both of Hong Kong’s French riders departing after successful winter spells. Tony Piccone signed off with the eighth winner of his debut spell here aboard Sunny Power at Happy Valley on Wednesday and Alexis Badel will end a highly successful four-month stay with some very strong rides at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Alexis was also on the mark at the Valley, riding his 25th winner of the season with a daring inside swoop on Danny Shum’s Harmony Victory, and his strike rate for Douglas Whyte has been very impressive.
Douglas and Alexis pair combine in all the last four races on Sunday at Sha Tin, including with the promising Inner Flame and Farhh Above, and Alexis bids au revoir aboard Super Wealthy in the Class 2 Cheung Shan Handicap over 1400m in Race 10.
Taking Aim and Cordyceps look set to go forward to set no more than an average pace in this strong Class 2 contest with Raging Blitzkrieg close up. Super Wealthy and Decrypt will challenge from midfield, while recent winners Super Star and Assimilate will do their running from off the pace along with Mongolian King and Lobo’s Legend.
Assimilate found a smooth run up the inner for Zac Purton to beat a couple of subsequent winners over course and distance on his last start. His good form makes him a place chance again with Derek Leung aboard this time. Cordyceps should go well from the front for Vincent Ho and Glorious Spectrum has trialled nicely and is worth keeping an eye on as he returns from a lengthy break on his debut for Ricky Yiu.
However, Super Wealthy looks the strongest improver on show after winning two of his first three starts in Hong Kong. All those three runs came over 1200m but Super Wealthy has been very strong at the finish in all his races and should be very well suited by the step up to 1400m on his Class 2 debut. He is drawn to get a smooth run from stall 2 and is a win and place chance to send Alexis home with a winner, while Decrypt is working well and returning to what is in my view his best distance. Purton appears to have chosen him ahead of Assimilate so he is also a place chance.
List of OCBBs to open between 9.30am and 6pm on Mondays and Thursdays from 2 March
Central, Stanley Street
Causeway Bay, Jaffe Road
Quarry Bay, King’s Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Hankow Road
Mong Kok, Nathan Centre
Shek Kip Mei, Tai Po Road
Wong Tai Sin, Tropicana
Kwun Tong Plaza
Tseung Kwan O, Po Lam
Sha Tin, Lucky Plaza
Sheung Shui, Shek Wu Hui
Tuen Mun Town Plaza
Yuen Long, Hop Yick Road
Tin Shui Wai
Kwai Fong
Tsing Yi, Maritime Square
Tsuen Wan, Castle Peak Road
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