POPULAR Nigel Tiley was in the middle of a disaster on New Year's Eve and knew nothing about it.
The New Zealand jockey went to Lan Kwai Fong with wife Katherine and friends to see the New Year in - and he left for home shortly before 12.30 am.
''I went down Wyndham Street and heard the ambulance sirens coming along the bottom of the road but thought nothing of it.
''I had simply gone out for about two hours to see the New Year in with friends from here and overseas and as soon as the countdown to midnight was over I headed for home,'' he said.
Like everyone else in Hongkong, Tiley was totally stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy.
''It's absolutely horrifying and you realise how lucky you could have been. We were at the top end of the area and not really out celebrating in the streets.'' YOU have to hand it to Jockey Club starter Mike Tibbatts - he's a bloke who can take a joke.