It was the birthday bash to end all birthday bashes, with a punter becoming richer by more than HK$12 million during the Jockey Club's 125th anniversary meeting yesterday.The big-money meeting at Sha Tin did not stop there: another 130 raceday fans collected "door prizes" ranging from HK$1,250 to HK$125,000, and 178,500 people collected HK$20 coupons.
More than 43,000 people shrugged off the mean weather to be at the track.Along with off-course punters they poured HK$985 million into the tote - the highest single-day turnover this season.
Although he wasn't counting the government's take on the day - it came to HK$164 million - Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah looked more than delighted as he handed the 125th Anniversary Cup to horse owner Joseph Chau Din-ming, whose Always Something stole the event from hot favorite Taverner.
Tsang later drew the winning number in the 125th Anniversary Sweepstakes, with HK$12.5 million in gold bars awaiting the lucky holder of ticket 12014439. There was also a fashion show by top local designer William Tang Tat-chi, entertainment by singers Samuel Hui Koon-kit and Joey Yung Cho-yee, and a pyrotechnic show defied heavy clouds and drizzling rain to light up the sky.
Adding to the carnival atmosphere was the running of the Hong Kong Cup Trial, won by the John Moore syndicate-owned Collection to add to his Hong Kong Derby triumph this year.
Moore was double-handed in the race, with his stable jockey Darren Beadman optin
g to ride Horse of the Year Viva Pataca. So Weichong Marwing collected another trophy at Beadman's expense."I don't envy the position Darren is in when he has to make these sort of decisions," Marwing said. "He chose Viva Pataca and who would blame him? It is an impossible choice. I have now won on both of these horses and I know how good they are." But Moore advised punters not to give up on Pataca, saying he had confidence that the horse - owned by casino mogul Stanley Ho Hung-sun - will finish in the top three in the Hong Kong International Vase over 2,400 meters next month. And Collection will give the overseas set a run for their money in the 2,000m Hong Kong International Cup, he said.
Unique Jewellery finished second in the cup race, ever-reliable Mr Medici was third and Derby runner-up Thumbs Up fourth.
"It was a wonderful birthday party for our customers as well as for ourselves," said club chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. "The weather was a little unkind, but then the club cannot control everything."
