Steve wraps up Hong Kong International raceday and looks to the future of racing in the region
The stunning crowd and turnover figures; the performance of Maurice in the Hong Kong Cup (Gr 1, 2000m); some now not unexpected petulance from Maurice’s jockey Ryan Moore and news of the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s c.HK$500,000,000 development of the Conghua training facility near Guangzhou in China were the talking points of the day.
And, from an Australian perspective, so too was the continued coming of age of jockey Zac Purton. The 33 year-old who, in his younger days, was certainly not big on the ‘C’ word – commitment, is now one of the world’s most accomplished and professional riders. He won on Aerovelocity (Pins) and Beauty Only (Holy Roman Emperor) to take his HKIR tally to five wins.
The numbers: the raceday crowd was 100,710 which includes those at the Happy Valley racecourse as well as those on hand at Sha Tin. That figure was a new high for the event and 17.4 per cent up on the previous year.
Turnover for the ten race card was HK$1.518 billion. That’s around $260,000,000. To put that in perspective there was $141,500,000 wagered on the ten-race Melbourne Cup meeting at Flemington across the Tabcorp-owned NSW, Victorian and ACT TABs.
While significant bet back money certainly enters the Hong Kong pools, one wonders what the turnover figure might be if more was garnered from illegal operators or if indeed they did not exist. It’s estimated that $500 billion is bet illegally each year with the majority of that, 70-80 per cent, in Asia.
Sunday’s turnover was up 4.7 per cent on the previous year and the commingling return a record for the day at HK$72,800,000.
“Our commingling figure was an increase of more than 40 per cent on last year, with a figure of over HK$72,000,000, which accounts for 4.8 per cent of the day’s total turnover. This shows again that we think our strategy of world class racing, including beaming the races around the world, giving customers the opportunity to bet into the largest per-race tote pools in the world, is the right strategy.
“To give some context, ten years ago, this meeting had turnover of just HK$930,000,000 and a crowd of 56,000,’ said HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
The club’s development at Congua will facilitate further potential growth. It will allow the club to refurbish the training facilities at Sha Tin, allow an increase in the number of horses each trainer may have and possibly precipitate the development of a breeding industry in the region.
Due to open in July 2018, the complex will also include spelling paddocks which is a luxury not yet afforded Hong Kong trainers.
An increase in the horse population begs the question as to whether more race meetings will be conducted in Hong Kong to further boost the jurisdiction’s staggering turnover which was up 1.8 per cent to HK$107 billion last season (sorry, I can’t even work out what is in Australian dollars!!).
But that is not on the drawing board, at least in the short term, according to Tony Kelly, HKJC Executive Director, Racing Business and Operations.
“We’ve reached the maximum race meetings that the club could host here in Hong Kong due to pressure on the tracks and the need to provide a world class surface to race on. Bear in mind we have eight races on a card at Happy Valley and ten at Sha Tin every raceday and the average field sizes are 11.8 and 13.5 respectively.
“We show 23 simulcast meetings and ten races on our own racedays. In the main we only show events of international importance, those with Group One races, and have HK runners or jockeys involved. We are happy with this number as it covers the vast majority of events we put on and is already tricky to fit in around our existing race program, given the time differences and clash of days.
“The only opportunity that really exists is in the close season, between 16 July and 1 September. We have no racing in this period and we do miss a number of European meetings that would be of interest to us and meet the above criteria. But at this stage there are no plans to address this,’ he said.
As to Maurice’s number, HKJC handicapper Nigel Gray certainly pointed to a significant hike in the son of Screen Hero’s (Grass Wonder) rating as he summarised the day’s action. Not before time, I’d argue for the stallion who’s bound for stud duties.
The ratings panel has some time to consider their verdict with the next rankings release on 24 January. I would argue that Maurice should now be pressing Winx (Street Cry) on 130 and Almanzor (Wootton Bassett) on 129. Put it this way, I fancy bookmakers and punters would have difficulty operating the trip were they to meet at 2000 metres on turf.
Jockey Moore disappointed again when he snapped ‘I’m not doing this shit every race’ at media man Edward Sadler who was doing his best to gather the beaten jockey quotes which is now common practice around the world.
Apparently Moore was more cooperative later on when signing autographs and, of course, nobody particularly wants to discuss defeat but the vast majority of his colleagues comply, at least dutifully if not willingly. It is contractually demanded of other sports people.
The punters would like to know and they’re the people that provide him with an annual income most of us could only dream of.
Frankly, I’m sick to death of hearing what a pleasant, affable fellow he is (apparently) when in the company of mates or that he’s basically shy. Nash Rawiller, once upon a time, was shy to the point of reclusiveness but he’s overcome that and is now great with the media.
Brett Prebble managed to provide Sadler with a quote even though I’m sure he was inwardly seething after his mount Lucky Bubbles (Sebring) was an unlucky second in the Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 12000m).
I really can’t believe that Moore just doesn’t ‘get it’. Has he not considered that racing fans would love some genuine insight from the world’s number one jockey just as I am sure he is keen to hear from the best competitors in whatever other sport he takes an interest in.