There was no golden harvest with records tumbling as there had been 12 months before, but Jockey Club officials still came away with smiles at a “resilient start” to the new racing season on Sunday at Sha Tin.
Turnover was slightly up, the crowd slightly down, but nobody had been expecting to match results in 2014.
“We are more than satisfied with what has been a resilient start,” said chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
“Last year was the highest opening day turnover we had had for 20 years. We have improved on that by almost 1 per cent, so I think to keep above the HK$1.1 billion level in more difficult economic circumstances now is excellent.”
Attendance was down by just over 2,000 to 72,098, but even that had to be seen as a win, coming on the back of a record in 2014 and officials said the extreme hot weather kept a few fans away.
Andreas Schutz won the first race with Magical Beam, an auspicious event prized by many of his peers, but the German had a different take.
“I don’t read too much into the superstition attached to the first winner, but I am sure it’s better than being the last trainer still without one a few weeks from now,” he said.
New faces played their part, with Hong Kong’s first female apprentice in 15 years, Kei Chiong Ka-kei getting a rousing cheer from the parade yard crowd before her first ride and then almost pinching the sixth race with her second, only to be run down by Douglas Whyte, who shared the day with Joao Moreira at three wins apiece.
Australian Chad Schofield emulated his father, Glyn, by riding a winner on his first day here and Schofield Snr, watching from Sydney, pointed out it might have been two: “It’s a big stage to perform on and Chad’s shown he can.
“He might have won the next on Secret Command, too, if Dougie hadn’t shut the door on him – he’s still got it the old fella.”
Whyte, though, was focusing on the positives of his bold start: “I feel fantastic. I’m like a fine wine, I keep getting better.”
Schofield Jnr said he had gone to the track confident Strathmore would run well, but winning had been a dream.
“It’s a great thrill to do it the first day and I hope that’s going to bring more opportunities,” he said.
The Cup went to Caspar Fownes for the third time, Matthew Chadwick doing the steering as I’m In Charge will be pointed towards the Hong Kong Sprint in December, while veteran stablemate Lucky Nine’s career is at a crossroads after he could manage only 10th.
