'Four is probably the right number of races for the event' Building the Asian Mile Challenge into a regional series will be high on the agenda for Hong Kong Jockey Club officials taking part in next week's Asian Racing Federation (ARF) conference in Seoul. But the organisers have headed off the reawakening of a previous hot topic in English-based betting exchange Betfair and exchanges in general. The new betting medium was the focal point of much of the 29th ARF conference in Auckland in March, 2003, when Betfair officials arrived to put their side of the case but they have been refused entry to the Seoul conference which runs from May 20 to 27. The conference includes an international jockey series at race meetings on both Saturday and Sunday. Hong Kong will be represented by Glyn Schofield, a year to the day since his lengthy suspension on Win Hunter, which was later quashed on appeal. Jockey Club officials are to chair and take part in various discussion and business sessions during the week, with manager of International Races, Sale and Development, Mark Player, actively involved in discussions on racing series generally and specifically how to expand the Asian Mile Challenge from two to four races. 'It has already been mentioned that we're hopeful of getting the Dubai Duty Free and a mile race in Australia added to our Champions Mile and Yasuda Kinen to make it a proper series,' said Player, who was also instrumental in development of the Global Sprint Challenge before joining the Hong Kong Jockey Club. 'We think four is probably the right number of races for the mile series and discussions in Seoul will centre on the correct stake money and bonuses and the co-ordination of the races to get the greatest benefit. As yet, the Australian leg has not been determined - there is interest from both Sydney and Melbourne clubs, so that's something we will discuss, too.' While a business session at the conference on wagering is certain to touch again on betting exchanges, turnover piracy and wagering rights, the focus may move more towards friendly inter-jurisdictional wagering such as the recent commencement of simulcasting Hong Kong races in Australia. The region's handicappers will deal with their ongoing work to standardise international rating classifications and cataloguing. There is also scheduled to be a two-pronged session on racing control, with drug-free racing and also standardisation of rules and stewarding across the region up for discussion. Jockey Shane Dye lost his appeal yesterday against a two-day ban and $80,000 fine for careless riding at Happy Valley on May 11. Dye will ride at Sha Tin tomorrow before commencing the ban and will return from June 2.
