Kent & Curwen Cup's special visitor ensures everyone has a right royal time
The annual Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup added much-needed colour to the gloomy weekend at the Sha Tin racecourse. The brand designed the equestrian uniforms for the 2012 London Olympics, and to highlight its ties to the British horse racing circuit, invited Peter Phillips, Queen Elizabeth's oldest grandson, to the event.
As guest of honour, he was joined in the VIP tent by fellow horse lovers Loretta Chu, Eric Fok Kai-shan, Trinity brand managing director Sabrina Fung, businessmen Victor Fung Kwok-king and William Fung Kwok-lun, entrepreneur Allan Zeman, and pop icon Aaron Kwok Fu-shing, who is Kent & Curwen's brand ambassador.
London-based Phillips was making a welcome return to Hong Kong, having lived here with his wife Autumn from 2008 to 2010.
'What I enjoy most about the races is the atmosphere,' Phillips said. 'Everyone goes to have fun, place a bet and hopefully leave with a little more money than they started with, and of course, enjoy some top-grade racing.'
With accomplished equestriennes for a mother and sister, Phillips also 'rode every day as a child until I was about 16', when his love of rugby took over. 'I love everything about horses,' he said. 'I am honoured, though a bit nervous, about my duty as one of the judges for Best Turned Out horse. I look to the other, more professional judges for their expert opinion. If I pick the donkey, then I will have been found out.'
