‘Jiayou!’: Hong Kong Runners Thrill Fans At Sha Tin

[Wandering Eyes]

HONG KONG, CHINA – Hong Kong International Races day began under gray skies and chilly temperatures, but heated up quickly with an opening performance from K-Pop legend RAIN, who brought out the sun for a legion of fans lined up outside the paddock with signs bearing his name and had even HKJC CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges bopping along to his performance.

The day's expected headliners and hometown heroes Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) and Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) delivered in spades, but the quartet of international races opened with a record-breaking victory for the French team when Sosie (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) gave legendary trainer Andre Fabre a fourth win in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase.

“Sosie is definitely a wonderful horse,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges. “I would like to send my appreciation and thanks to Andre Fabre, who just had his [80th] birthday and that hopefully is a little birthday present for him.”

Fans crowded onto balconies and lined up all around the paddock as local hero Ka Ying Rising–the world's highest-rated sprinter–came out for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. With the outcome in no doubt well in advance of the wire, one fan, commenting on action in Chinese, switched to English. “Game over. Game over,” he repeated several times as the gelding sailed under the wire a much-the-best winner.

“He's just in a league of his own,” jockey Zac Purton said after the winner's circle celebration.

Trainer David Hayes added succinctly, “He just was superb today. They're not running fast times today, but he did. I think on the eye, that was as spectacular a win as he's done.”

Ka Ying Rising completed the 1200 meters with little urging in 1:07.70. Asked how fast he thought the 5-year-old could run, Hayes said, “If they were offering $1 million for a record, I reckon he could go in 1:06.”

Voyage Bubble (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), largely overshadowed by the headlining duo, still seemed to attract the day's loudest cheers. With the Chinese fans encouraging him on with synchronized chants of 'jiayou,' the Hong Kong Triple Crown winner was all heart when outbattling Japanese rival Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile.

Romantic Warrior completed the big day for the home team when he dominated the field to win his record fourth straight G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup.

James McDonald | HKJC photo

An emotional James McDonald, with tears in his eyes returning to the winner's circle, said, “He's so special, he's so special. He's just a freak. I don't know what to say. I just love him. I love him.”

McDonald celebrated with fans with high fives on his way back to the jock's room.

Trainer Danny Shum made it clear the international warrior had become a member of the family.

“My son says I love him, but I love Romantic Warrior more,” Shum said, not offering any contradiction to his son's assertion.

As dramatic as Romantic Warrior's victory was, the race was almost struck by tragedy when a protester rushed out onto the course. Assistant starters subdued the man and held him down as the field rushed past into the home stretch.

“We had an incident on the track,” said Engelbrecht-Bresges. “The person is obviously very angry and he wanted to launch a petition to ask for a further inquiry into the deaths in the Tai Po fire.”

Festivities around the international races were more subdued this year in the wake of the devastating apartment fire which claimed the lives of some 160 people in late November. In recognition of the tragedy, the HKJC had pulled advertising for its marquee day of racing, which Engelbrecht-Bresges said likely  contributed to a decrease in attendance–which was close to 50,000–and in turnover.

“We definitely had to overcome a significant challenge in light of the tragedy,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said. “You can see that emotions in the community are still very deep. So this has to be taken into consideration when we look at the race day today. We still believe that this was one of the greatest days in Hong Kong racing.”

The award for the day's most committed fans would have to go to the large group of women lined up several deep around the winner's circle with their cameras at the ready throughout the afternoon as they tried to catch a photo of Chinese actor Yosh Yu. Yu, who was acting as Longines Ambassador of Elegance, was down in the winner's circle for the Hong Kong Cup, eliciting loud cheers, but he put his finger up to his mouth to hush his vocal fans.

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