Racetrack security strategy needs rethink
From dawn to dusk and most nights, Happy Valley racecourse presents another face of horseracing's colourful connection with Hong Kong. It offers the public unfettered access to its green expanse - to stroll, jog and just pass through, and to play sport on the playing fields inside the track.
It is an oasis, contrasting with the fast-paced city outside and the bustle and buzz of racing nights, a world away from fast money and heavy racetrack security.
This may not be the floodlit image of non-stop action in a high-rise fishbowl that visitors to Hong Kong take away with them, but it is precious to a crowded population starved of open space. Among famous racetracks around the world, it is a rare, if not unique, public privilege.
It comes as a shock, therefore, that someone has taken advantage of the free access to add what might easily have been a dark and tragic chapter to Hong Kong's love affair with racing.
Thanks to the alertness of a young track supervisor, a potentially serious physical threat to 12 horses, their jockeys and officials at Wednesday night's race meeting was averted.
During a routine pre-race track inspection he spotted a suspicious object buried in the turf near the starting stalls for the first race. It was one of 12 concealed cylinders, described as remote-controlled compression devices. Ten were loaded with liquid-filled darts.
Jockey Club officials fear they could have caused horses to take fright, with unpredictable consequences. The true nature of the threat will be revealed by the results of a police forensic investigation.
Until police, hopefully, make an arrest, the motive remains a matter of speculation. Police are, naturally, looking at past disputes involving the Jockey Club, and club officials cannot rule out a conspiracy to rig the result of the race.
What does seem clear is that whoever is responsible for such a diabolical scheme went to a great deal of trouble that could have made it hard to foil. Presumably the culprits concealed themselves inside the gates before they were closed at 11pm, after which the area is under reduced security. They may even have kept watch for a night or two to observe the security routine before beginning work. They chose the darkest part of the track to carry out the heavy work of excavating it for the cylinders.
The incident is isolated in its nature but still raises serious issues of security and even public safety. The immediate danger was to horses, jockeys and officials, but the potential risk to trackside spectators of such irresponsible action to disrupt a horse race cannot be overlooked.
Given the public access to the course, the Jockey Club may be well advised to consider electronic surveillance of the track. It has already announced increased security, including patrols with guard dogs.
The abiding consideration should be to improve security without any more interference than is absolutely necessary with the public's existing right of access. The statement by the club's security chief that cutting off access would be an over-reaction to an initial incident is therefore welcome.
Gambling on horse racing is a passion in Hong Kong. The Jockey Club has tried to maintain public confidence by working hard to ensure it is honestly conducted and transparently administered. It is a commitment that has played a big part in its success in developing a world-class product.
Sadly, such a passion comes with the social cost of gambling problems that can lead to financial and family distress. This has to be weighed against the fact that the non-profit club is one of Hong Kong's biggest taxpayers and a billion-dollar-a-year charity lifeline for a range of important community services.
Security measures that restore confidence shaken by this incident - while, as far as possible, preserving public access to open space - are in the whole community's best interests. Safety must be the priority.
