FORMER champion horse trainer Brian Kan Ping-chee yesterday slammed Jockey Club security after his new $1.7 million Mercedes-Benz was stolen from his Sha Tin lodge. ''It's outrageous. This place is supposed to be patrolled 24 hours by Jockey Club security guards,'' he said. ''I don't know why my car was stolen because security guards are supposed to jot down every car coming in and out of the trainers' residential compound,'' the infuriated trainer said. He promised a handsome reward for anyone who could find his car. His Rolls-Royce and Jaguar limousines were ignored by the thieves during the pre-dawn raid. Mr Kan, who is also the chairman of Sheung Shui Rural Committee, wrote a letter to the Director of Racing, Mr Phillip Johnston, demanding an explanation. The theft, believed to be the first at the Jockey Club trainers' residential compound, was discovered at about 7 am yesterday when Mr Kan returned home after morning track work. Mr Kan's luck did not improve last night when three of his four runners were unplaced. A spokesman for the Jockey Club said the incident was being investigated internally and they preferred not to comment at this stage. Last year 1,025 Mercedes-Benz were reported missing compared with 244 a year ago.
