BRITISH satellite station BSkyB is finalising plans to beam in Hong Kong's big International raceday live from Sha Tin on December 11, in the most significant move yet to cover the event in Europe. BSkyB executives are banking on increased interest in Hong Kong's showcase raceday due to the number of English-trained runners, particularly in the inaugural running of the International Vase, over 2,400 metres. Already, an early-morning slot has been found for the Hong Kong racing show to which just under two million subscribers will have direct access. BSkyB have been adopting a much higher profile in British racing over the past 12 months, with their thrice-weekly evening programme, The Winning Post, telecasting live racing from two selected venues during the summer. Now they are becoming involved in international races, and the popularity of their coverage has prompted more adventurous programming. The satellite company have tendered for the exclusive rights to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, which is up for grabs, and they are also believed to have their eyes on the Grand National. They recently covered the Breeders' Cup from Churchill Downs, Kentucky - much to the disappointment of rival Channel 4, who could not find a slot for the live telecast. BSkyB plans to have full coverage of the three international races from Sha Tin, and are hoping they can personalise the coverage for English viewers by sending their own commentator and having studio guests in London discussing the races. 'We found with the Breeders' Cup, which we were fed from NBC, that they focused, quite understandably, on the American hopes - not the horses such as Lochsong and Barathea, which were the main source of British interest,' he pointed out. In the past, Hong Kong's big day was covered on a delayed basis by Channel 4. This proved unsatisfactory, with the highlights once being broadcast a full four months after the races were run. BBC were involved in the most recent telecast from Hong Kong, when two races from a Martell-sponsored night meeting at Happy Valley were beamed in as a prelude to the spectacular Grand National Grandstand programme last April. Meanwhile, BBC cameras - not those of BSkyB - captured the racing excitement at the weekend when the much-touted One Man lived up to his tall reputation when winning a thrilling Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury in the style of a deserving candidate for next year's Gold Cup. The spring-heeled grey jumper is now as low as 12-1 for the Cheltenham feature following this exciting display and Gordon Richards, his trainer, was ruling out nothing as a possible target. Running the three-and-a-quarter-mile trip right out, and jumping the 21 fences effortlessly under Tony Dobbin, One Man had the race in his keeping five fences from home. As if to kick his critics in the teeth, One Man simply toyed with his rivals over the last, and with the coveted gold trophy in the bag, cruised home the easiest of winners, eased down by two lengths from Lord Relic. Commercial Artist was third. Lord Relic, turning in his best run to date over fences, ran on well.
