This article first appeared in the Nov 2009 (pre-launch) issue of World Gaming magazine.
Every issue World Gaming will bring you the best of horse racing from Hong Kong, Macau and the rest of the world.
Hong Kong
October was a busy month for racing purists with four Group 3 races held at Sha Tin Racecourse. November will see three Group 2 races as the region’s top echelon of thoroughbreds start campaigning for the vast riches on offer this December. The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Race series starts in December at Sha Tin and will feature some of the best horses in the world competing in multiple Group 1 races. These races always attract high quality imports from around the globe, but more about that in the next edition of World Gaming.
Let’s have a look at the huge month of racing we are looking forward to in November.
- Sunday 1 November – A day meeting on the turf at Happy Valley featuring 10 races.
- Wednesday 4 November – A night meeting on the all-weather track at Sha Tin featuring eight races.
- Saturday 7 November – A day meeting on the turf at Sha Tin featuring 10 races.
- Wednesday 11 November – A night meeting on the turf at Happy Valley featuring seven races.
- Sunday 15 November – A day meeting at Sha Tin. This is a 10 race, mixed meeting and includes the Cathay Pacific International Cup Trial (HK G2).
- Wednesday 18 November – A night meeting on the turf at Happy Valley featuring seven races.
- Sunday 22 November – A day meeting on the turf at Sha Tin. This 10 card meeting is a big one on the HKJC calendar, with the Cathay Pacific International Sprint Trial (HK G2) and Cathay Pacific International Mile Trial (HK G2) taking centre stage. These races will provide good lead-ups to the 13 December riches.
- Wednesday 25 November – A night meeting on the turf at Happy Valley featuring seven races.
- Sunday 29 November – A day meeting on the turf at Sha Tin featuring 10 races.
International
November is without doubt the biggest racing month of the year, beginning with the Melbourne Cup (3 November). This race carries massive importance in Australia, where it is dubbed ‘the race that stops the nation’. Although Hong Kong will be without a representative in the big race, Asian hopeful Jolie’s Shinju will attempt to match the feats of the famous Japanese duo Delta Blues and Pop Rock. Who could forget the sight of this pair zooming away from the field down the Flemington straight in 2006 to create history by filling the top two positions in the Melbourne Cup.
Just five days after the Melbourne Cup, the Breeders’ Cup takes place in the US. This is a fantastic meeting on both the grass and dirt. International riders come from far and wide in an attempt to etch their names into the history books. This meeting is second only to the Dubai World Cup Night for prize money, with a staggering US$20 million on offer across the championships.
Once the biggest racing in Australia and the US are complete we have a three week gap until Japan has their top racing day for the year. The Japan Cup takes place on 29 November and is always a race to remember and a highlight for Asian racing fans.
So there is plenty of racing for the keen racing fan this November; the high quality lead-ups and group racing at Sha Tin and Happy Valley, the Melbourne Cup, Breeders’ Cup Day and the Japan Cup.
Good luck and good punting!
