Striking the correct balance between maintaining public health and protecting employment while successfully continuing horse racing has been an enduring challenge in Hong Kong since March 2020 in the fight against COVID-19. Appropriate safety protocols have been central to all three aspects during these testing times.
In light of the sacrifices and incredible discipline displayed by the community at large over the past 13 months, it was especially gratifying for the Club to welcome back more of our customers to Sha Tin for the Easter Monday meeting.
While social distancing protocols prevented a return to Sha Tin’s halcyon crowds for what is renowned as a quality meeting, it was still uplifting to have 1,981 members of the public back at our tracks for the first time since November. In all, the Club hosted 1,762 members of the public at Sha Tin, with a further 219 at Happy Valley.
Additionally, there were 998 owners and 969 Club members at Sha Tin, with companions, making a total of 3,729 at Sha Tin, including members of the public. There were a further 165 members at Happy Valley. As with our OCBBs, the Club’s onus remains heavily on maintaining biosecurity protocols, including temperature screening, the wearing of face masks, electronic health declaration forms and social distancing at both of our racecourses.
The Club has wholeheartedly embraced Government policy over the past year with an unstinting intention to ensure the health and safety of all of customers and employees and I am hopeful may more of our loyal fans can eventually follow suit and also return to the races.
Last Monday featured a pair of Group 2 contests and, apart from the upset nature of both events with Amazing Star at $179 in the Sprint Cup (1200m) and Mighty Giant in the Chairman’s Trophy (1600m), one of the more salient points was the continued – and growing – influence of Conghua.
The Club’s mainland training centre produced four of the 10 winners of the day – Amazing Star, Mighty Giant, Trader and Private Rocket – and also the quinella in the day’s two features with Mighty Giant leading home Southern Legend and Amazing Star edging out Stronger.
All six horses had been stabled at Conghua since their previous Hong Kong start. Of the 564 races decided so far in 2020/21, 107 horses based in Conghua before heading back Sha Tin have now amassed 122 victories.
The stunning triumph of Amazing Star was a reminder of the value of persistence in the face of world-class opposition as Jimmy Ting and Vagner Borges collaborated to secure their most important victories in Hong Kong.
On Thursday night, speed will be at a premium in the Class 2 Clementi Handicap over 1000 metres, which is featured as the third race of the program.
Grateful Heart (Zac Purton) won in this grade over the course and distance in February to win a $1 million High Achievement Bonus. He jumped exceptionally well on that occasion to sit outside the leader and then won with relative ease. This has been a big season for Grateful Heart as he also took home the winner’s share of the DBS X Manulife Million Challenge by virtue of his excellent form at Happy Valley. He should once again be on the pace from the outset along with Valiant Dream (Dylan Mo) and We The South (Vagner Borges) and is a win and place chance.
Wind N Grass (Antoine Hamelin) makes his first start over this trip and should be closing the race off strongly as a place chance, along with Shining Ace (Joao Moreira), who is also a place chance. Massive Pocket (Vincent Ho) draws an inside gate and was compromised in his last start with blood in the trachea. He will also be making ground late as a place chance. Flying Genius (Karis Teetan) has a good record over this course and distance and is also a place chance.
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