The signing of the Framework Cooperation Agreement between the Club and the Guangzhou Municipal Government to take forward the promotion and development of the equine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is of tremendous significance.
The Framework is a key driver to the further growth of Hong Kong Racing and the sustaining of the global HKJC Racing brand by means of the organisation of regular racing under the HKJC banner in a triangle Greater Bay Area with three iconic racecourses – Sha Tin, Happy Valley and Conghua (CRC).
With the endorsement by both Governments in Hong Kong and Guangdong, as well as having the Guangzhou Municipal Government as our counterpart in this agreement, the Club has obtained the full support to anchor our development and investments to further strengthen CRC from a world-class training centre to a fully-fledged racecourse with an iconic grandstand and other world class facilities.
The project, targeted to complete and implement by 2025, will ultimately enable us to showcase world-class horse racing as a sport and leisure entertainment activity at CRC, as well as becoming a major tourist attraction in Conghua.
While expanding our existing stabling facilities in CRC, we will in parallel commence a major renovation of Sha Tin training facilities so as to enable us to expand our horse population.
With the expansion of these facilities, it is hoped we can ultimately add breeding value to the horse population in Hong Kong and the Mainland because the extra facilities would mean we could accommodate colts and fillies.
This has the potential to create breeding value internationally and also potentially in the Greater Bay Area through horses who are successful on the racetrack in Hong Kong, especially at G1 level.
Lord Kanaloa, for example, is a horse who boosted his international breeding value with his two wins at HKIR and has since been tremendously effective at stud in Japan.
There are horses currently in Hong Kong who, with a G1 win, can substantially increase their potential breeding value and therefore eventually deliver a significant return on investment for owners if they follow a successful racing career with a success at stud.
Since opening in 2018, CRC has brought significant benefits to Hong Kong racing. Its world-class training facilities and the talent pool it has developed have enabled Hong Kong to increase its horse population and provide better training and care for its racehorses. Together with Sha Tin Racecourse and stables, CRC has enabled the Club to establish a dual site operating model, which has functioned smoothly and effectively even during the pandemic.
This season alone, 125 horses having their first start back in Hong Kong since being stabled at CRC have won 147 of the 669 races staged so far – a strike rate of 21.97%. The most notable of those, of course, was Sky Darci in the BMW Hong Kong Derby.
Leveraging on this solid foundation and achievement, the aim now is for CRC to contribute to the equine development of the Greater Bay Area to the benefit of both Hong Kong and Guangdong Province. For Hong Kong, the additional races at CRC will further promote the development of Hong Kong’s racing industry. First, it will enable our horse population to continue growing and so help broaden our race programme, particularly with respect to races of 2000m and above. Secondly, horse ownership opportunities will increase and hence attract more owners to invest. Third, it will create additional job opportunities, to the benefit of Club employees, trainers and jockeys.
Additionally, the Club will offer comprehensive training programmes through its racing academy in support of the long-term development of racing talent.
Other equine-related initiatives, such as veterinary professional development and academic collaboration; further enhancement of the cross-boundary movement and inspection of horses, forage grass and fodder, veterinary medicines and biological products; exploration of the development of a thoroughbred trading centre; promotion of equestrian sports in Guangzhou, will also be pursued to allow for a thriving equine industry to take hold in the GBA in future.
Building on our respective strengths, this agreement will substantially deepen the Club’s strategic cooperative partnership with the Guangzhou Municipal Government with the aim of achieving our shared vision of the Guangzhou-Hong Kong Racing Economic Cluster. Since its opening in 2018, CRC has become an integral part of Hong Kong’s world-class racing. We will fully leverage CRC’s world-class facilities and talent within the Club to implement this exciting but challenging initiative.
On Sunday at Sha Tin, the Class 2 Crystal Handicap over 1400 metres is the final race of the program with five horses in the field eligible for a $1 million High Achievement Bonus and it shapes as a wonderful race with a rising star in the unbeaten three-year-old Fantastic Treasure (Chad Schofield) attempting to maintain a perfect record.
Since arriving from Australia, he has four wins from four starts and has risen in the handicaps from 52 to 87 points. He is the most likely of the bonus candidates and will make his final appearance of the season, but is up in class and pitted against upcoming four-year-olds such as Beauty Smile (Zac Purton), who is a Listed winner and G3-placed, and G3-winning Roman Turbo (Alexis Badel), who is another talented galloper from Ireland.
New Zealand-bred Not Usual Talent (Jerry Chau) is a proven Class 2 performer with Hinchinlove (Derek Leung) likely to go forward to press a good pace set by Team Spirit (Keith Yeung) and should inherit the lead at the top of the straight.
While I believe Fantastic Treasure is highly-talented and a top contender for next season’s Classic Mile, he faces a difficult task after receiving nine pounds for his last win, conceding age plus having a more challenging draw (barrier 10) on the C+3 Course and having to come from the back to win this race, but he is definitely a place chance for Chad Schofield and trainer David Hayes, whose stables is firing.
Roman Turbo under Alexis Badel is my first choice for a win and place especially after being badly hampered near the 200m from gate 12 last start and should get a good run being better drawn in gate four.
Beauty Smile, going back to the 1400m, is working well and is better drawn with a chance for a place. My other horse for a place is Not Usual Talent, who finished fifth behind Roman Turbo (second) and Hinchinlove (first), when Jerry Chau had to shift over heels to get clear running at the 300m and finished strongly. On that performance, I see Hinchinlove as a place chance, too.
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