Hong Kong Jockey Club Steriline Racing ARMA Scholarship Winner report
13 Mar 2010
Sean Bridges
Steriline Racing ARMA (Australian Racecourse Managers Association) Scholarship Winner's Report
On the 21st of January I had the opportunity to travel to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. This was made possible after I won the Steriline Racing ARMA (Australian Racecourse Managers Association) Scholarship. For two fantastic weeks I was shown all aspects of racing in Hong Kong from track preparation to venue management, to many of the charities in which they are involved.
Members of the Track Team at Hong Kong Jockey Club preparing for Chinese New Year.
From left to right: Sean Bridges (Steriline Racing/ARMA Scholarship Recipient), Jackson, John Ridley, Paco, TY, Ray.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club consists of two racecourses Happy Valley and Sha-Tin.
Happy Valley Racecourse was the site of the original Racecourse in Hong Kong. It is used for night racing on Wednesday nights and Sunday racing. It has been reconstructed and now provides a great venue for all racing, including hosting international races such as the International Jockeys Championship. The track is 1417 meters in circumference 30.5 meters wide and is a couch grass base over-sowed with ryegrass in the winter.
Sha-Tin Racecourse was opened in 1978 and is one of the most up-to-date and well-equipped racecourses in the world. There are modern stables, all air conditioned and they have closed-circuit television security. There is accommodation for about 1200 horses with some 300-350 horses bought in annually to maintain this population level. The racecourse features the world’s longest diamond vision screen which stretches 70.4 meters. They also have the world’s first retractable roof over their parade ring. They have an American dirt, similar to the one at Eagle Farm in Brisbane, that they race and trial on. The course proper is 1899 meters in circumference, is 30.5 meters wide and is couch grass over-sowed with ryegrass.
Hong Kong Jockey Club Head Starter, Tony McGovern, believes the new design Steriline Racing back gates are “Brilliant, the horses are walking in so much easier. Anything that makes our job easier has got to be a good thing”.
During my time at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, I was privy to just how expansive and progressive they are. Every single facet of the Hong Kong Jockey Club is controlled and organized by them. To put it basically, the Hong Kong Jockey Club is what all the Racing Clubs, Boards, Totes and Bookies in Australia are, molded into one progressive, highly efficient organization. They turn over more than HK$70 billion a year from betting alone, of which more than HK$8.5 billion is contributed as Horse Racing Betting Duty to the Government. The Club is the largest single taxpayer in Hong Kong and, as The Club is a not-for-profit organization, they contribute more than a HK$1 billion to charities and community projects. It has been listed in the USA as among the top 20 philanthropic foundations.
As a horse trainer of the Hong Kong Jockey Club you are entitled to benefits such as staff administration, provision of fodder and training facilities. All these services and facilities are provided to the trainer free of charge. Trainers are paid a monthly fee of HK$600 per horse and 9.2% of all prize money won. All employees of The Club including ground staff, administration staff, catering staff, trainers, stewards, track riders, jockeys and stable hands are provided with accommodation by the Jockey Club at Happy Valley and Sha-Tin. The Hong Kong Jockey Club even has its own television production studio at Happy Valley from which they produce all the weekly racing shows.
Champion Jockey Brett Prebble, who has had input into the new design Steriline Racing back gates believes “the horses love them”.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has a close association with Steriline Racing and Steriline barriers are used at both Sha-Tin and Happy Valley. I was lucky enough to observe their new back gate mechanism in action and discuss its success with Officials, Barrier Attendants and Jockeys. Hong Kong Jockey Club Head Starter, Tony McGovern, believes the new design Steriline Racing back gates are “Brilliant, the horses are walking in so much easier. Anything that makes our job easier has got to be a good thing”. Champion Jockey Brett Prebble, who has had input into their design believes “the horses love them”. I look forward to seeing their implementation in Australia in the coming years.
Unfortunately, six paragraphs aren’t enough to put my time at The Hong Kong Jockey Club into context. What I will say is, that the Hong Kong Jockey Club can have absolute pride in itself which is demonstrated by its employees, in their attitudes and their quality of work.
I would especially like to take this opportunity to thank John and Judy Fargher and their team at Steriline Racing in South Australia for their instigation and continued sponsorship of the Steriline Racing/ARMA Scholarship which has provided me with this opportunity to travel to The Hong Kong Jockey Club, it has truly been an experience that I will treasure for many years to come.
Sean Bridges
Assistant Racecourse Manager
Brisbane Racing Club
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