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All eyes on Sha Tin for final meet of the season

Wed, 01 July 2009 12:00:00 +0800

The stage is set for a thrilling final round to the trainers' championship and although Caspar Fownes has to be favourite, John Size (pictured, left) will take an extraordinarily strong team to today's public holiday Sha Tin meeting.

Today is also...

ING insurance boss sets out agenda for new role (Audio)

Tue, 30 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

John Wylie, chief executive of ING's insurance and pension business in Hong Kong and Macau, is today's guest on White Collar.

Mr Wylie headed up ING's Australian and Taiwanese businesses before he replaced Mr Cheng Man-kwong, who retired last month.

In...

Fownes two clear but race is close

Sun, 28 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Caspar Fownes is two clear for the trainer's championship but is looking over his shoulder with a pair of race meetings left in the season.

Former champion jockey Basil Marcus will return to the region later this year with the Singapore Turf Club...

Marco Chui cops six-month ban for ketamine

Wed, 24 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Former champion apprentice Marco Chui Kwan-lai was banned for six months yesterday after testing positive to the drug ketamine, completing a miserable first season for the 23-year-old as a senior jockey and threatening his career.

The Jockey Club?s...

Financial crisis should have been predicted (audio)

Tue, 23 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

For this week?s podcast and video report, I have invited Professor Richard Petty, president of CPA Australia, to be my guest.

Richard is a professor of management at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management in Sydney. He is also chairman of an...

New phoenix rises from AIG ashes (audio)

Mon, 22 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Stricken insurance giant American International Group became a poster child for the global financial crisis, with its huge losses and US$180 billion taxpayer-funded bailout.

The company is also now a byword for capitalistic excess ? even with everything...

Disappointment for Sacred Kingdom at Ascot

Sun, 21 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

There was disappointment at Royal Ascot last night, with Sacred Kingdom being brought down to earth at the world?s most prestigious race meeting, fading in the closing stages to finish fifth in the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Outstanding apprentice...

Lord Mayor looks to the future (audio)

Tue, 16 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Alderman Ian Luder is the 681st Lord Mayor of the City of London, and today's guest on White Collar. His main role as Lord Mayor is to represent, support and promote UK businesses.

The Lord Mayor recently toured a number of Chinese cities and also...

HKJC calls in reinforcements to alleviate shortage

Sat, 13 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

In today's racing podcast, we take a look at the jockey shortage situation with Australian William Pike and Dubai World Cup-winning jockey Aaron Gryder answering a call from the Jockey Club to ride at the final meetings of the season.

Champion sprinter...

Sun Trooper aims for 5 from 5

Wed, 10 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

In racing tonight, sprinter Sun Trooper (pictured) aims to make it five wins from five runs at Happy Valley. No other horse has won more than four races in a season at the city course and Sun Trooper looks to make history in the Cricket Club Valley Stakes.

Speaking...

Charles Monat sees changes in investors' behaviour...

Tue, 09 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Charles Monat, the founder and chairman of the Charles Monat Group, is today's guest on White Collar.

Mr Monat is a recognised leader in the world of wealth planning and life insurance, where he pioneered the development of large life insurance...

Another round of Vodka at Yasuda Kinen

Sun, 07 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has failed in its bid to gain special clearance by the Home Affairs Bureau to conduct simulcast betting on the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in England when Sacred Kingdom runs in two weeks.

It was two steps forward...

From the court to the canvas

Sun, 07 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Martina Navratilova is a bona fide tennis legend, holding the all-time record for career singles and doubles titles. The Czech-born champion only retired from the game in 2006, just before her 50th birthday.

Now Martina is trying her hand at art....

Runners bound for Royal Ascot, Yasuda Kinen

Wed, 03 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Sacred Kingdom (pictured) will leave on Sunday in a bold bid to cement his reputation as the greatest sprinter in the world at Royal Ascot on June 20. Meanwhile, trainer John Size has issued a 'steady as she goes' report on his two Yasuda Kinen hopefuls...

Coface chief executive discusses credit risk

Tue, 02 June 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Mr J?r?me Cazes, chief executive of credit insurer Coface Holding, is our guest on today's White Collar.

Mr Cazes was formerly a French civil servant in the Ministry of Finance in the 1980s. He joined Coface in 1989 as General Secretary and became...

Fownes makes late run for trainer title

Sun, 31 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Caspar Fownes and Brett Prebble were the stars of the Valley on Wednesday night, with Fownes preparing a winning treble and passing the 300 win milestone with Vanquish Delight. An interview with Caspar will be a feature of today's podcast.

Paul...

Eric Saint-Martin to give up riding

Wed, 27 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

An unrepentant Eric Saint-Martin is to retire after failing yesterday at his second ?show cause? hearing before the Hong Kong Jockey Club?s Licensing Committee.

John Moore will leave the sensitive decision of Darren Beadman's choice of mounts in...

Alan Merten sheds light on MPF (audio)

Tue, 26 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Alan Merten, vice-president of employee benefits for Manulife (International), is today's guest on White Collar.

Before assuming his current position at Manulife in 2007, Mr Merten was the head of a financial planning and retail pensions fund company...

CFA sees healthy growth despite recession (audio)

Mon, 25 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

The Certified Financial Analysts designation has long been considered the gold standard in professional education.

Now, even with the collapse of many Wall Street investment houses and lay-offs at the survivors, CFA Institute senior managing director...

Millard scratches two after syringe fiasco

Sun, 24 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Some standard pre-racing procedures yesterday had some very non-standard results for trainer Tony Millard, who has scratched two horses from today?s Sha Tin meeting because he could not guarantee they would race drug free.

John Size pulled off...

O'Sullivan back in winners circle with treble

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

The drought broke in a big way for Paul O?Sullivan at Sha Tin on Sunday with a winning treble, highlighted by the impressive win of Legend of Colour - a horse that just might be performing at Group level next year.

In Singapore on Sunday night,...

MTRC gives its verdict on Elements shopping centre...

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Betty Leong, general manager of investment property for the MTRC, is today's guest on White Collar.

The last time we spoke to Ms Leong, she spoke about the then uncompleted Elements mall project. This time she'll be talking about the finished project,...

All eyes on Singapore's KrisFlyer Sprint

Sun, 17 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Today?s Group One KrisFlyer Sprint in Singapore, featuring Hong Kong stars Sacred Kingdom and Inspiration, will probably be the best sprint race in the world this year, according to the head of the International Racing Bureau.

Jockey Brett Prebble...

Josie Ho: Renaissance woman (audio)

Sat, 16 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Josie Ho is already an accomplished actress and singer, not to mention heir to a casino empire, but that hasn't stopped her from adding 'producer' to her CV.

Josie co-founded 852 Films, a Hong Kong-based film production and financing company, whose...

Prebble makes hay of Whyte's absence

Wed, 13 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

If making hay while the sun shines is what Brett Prebble has been doing over the past week, then there will be no shortage of hay after the Australian dominated Sha Tin on Saturday with a four-timer to make it seven wins in two meetings, as well as unearthing...

Guaranteeing the city's bank deposits (audio)

Tue, 12 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Raymond Li, the chief executive of the Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board, is today's guest on White Collar with Enoch Yiu.

The Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board is currently gathering feedback on its consultation paper, which recommended increasing...

Asia-Pacific steels itself for a new era of submarine...

Tue, 12 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Shifts in military strategies and acquisitions may be the work of decades but recent weeks have a seen a number of significant developments that highlight the potential for future tension in East Asia. Vietnam, Australia and the US have all been involved...

Egyptian Ra to sit out Yasuda Kinen

Sat, 09 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Champions' Mile runner-up Egyptian Ra has been confirmed as a non-runner in the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo next month, with the front-running chestnut having failed to respond sufficiently to treatment to his front fetlock joint injury.

It was Brett...

Champion jockey immortalised in song

Fri, 08 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Douglas Whyte admits to feeling 'more than a bit chuffed' to learn there has been a song written and produced in his honour. 'Here Comes the Durban Demon' was released on Wednesday night by Hong Kong promotion company We-Enhance, headed by music aficionado...

EB quits Asian post over Aussie rift

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Relations between the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the New South Wales racing industry reached a new low point on Monday when Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges formally resigned his position as chairman of the Asian Racing Federation.

In other Monday news,...

Risk warnings to be recommended for fund products (audio)

Tue, 05 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

With the Lehman Brothers mini-bond selling scandal still fresh in their minds, the Securities and Futures Commission issued a letter calling for more risk disclosure to investors.

In response, the Hong Kong Investment Funds Association has issued...

Annie Lennox on a wing and a prayer (audio)

Sun, 03 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Annie Lennox is the first to admit that it can be funny how the world turns. In Hong Kong last week to promote her charity Sing, which raises money and awareness for HIV and Aids sufferers in Africa, the former Eurythmics performer told us her remarkable...

Homesick Du Plessis to call it quits

Sun, 03 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

The margin was the barest possible and there was nothing left in the locker, but Sacred Kingdom thrilled Brett Prebble with his fighting qualities in Friday's Group Two Sprint Cup at Sha Tin, at least enough for him to declare the champ is back.

Jockey...

Sacred Kingdom at a crossroads

Fri, 01 May 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Brett Prebble bowed to the persuasive powers of trainer John Size and was well rewarded when Sight Winner caused an upset victory in Sunday's Group One hampions Mile. An interview with Brett Prebble is a highlight of today's podcast.

John Moore...

Thriving during the economic crisis (audio)

Tue, 28 April 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Peter Wong is the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Taifook Securities Group, the group recently held the Inaugural 2009 Taifook Institutional Investor Conference.

More than 40 fund managers participated in the one-day conference to meet...

All eyes on Sha Tin for QEII Cup & Mile

Sun, 26 April 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Mike de Kock (pictured) is back in town and that's enough to shake the confidence of the locals because this top South African horseman has had three winners and a second from his last three tries in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup. An interview...

Archipenko out to defend title

Wed, 22 April 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Three decades of experience has taught Jeff Lloyd a lot about racehorses and he knew he?d seen a genuine Group One horse in Archipenko at Sha Tin yesterday.

Christophe Soumillon has confirmed his availability to come to Hong Kong on the weekend...

The elements that affect investment trends (audio)

Tue, 21 April 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Today's White Collar guest is Ms Virgine Masonneuve, Head of Global Equities for Schroders.

Ms Masonneuve believes that there are five major elements that affect investment trends. These include: population change, climate change, emerging markets,...

Tuscan Spirit to take on the big boys in Sprint Cup

Sun, 19 April 2009 12:00:00 +0800

Tuscan Spirit (pictured) has come a long way in a short time and, with only one opportunity left this season to test the three-year-old against the older horses, trainer John Size will not shy away from the challenge.

Most of the internationals...

CoCo Lee sings for Sichuan (Audio)

Sat, 18 April 2009 12:00:00 +0800

It has been almost a year since the magnitude-8 earthquake struck Sichuan. Singer CoCo Lee, who has a special tie with the region, recently joined the South China Morning Post?s Homes for Hope project, dedicated to rebuilding homes and lives in the Chinese...