I am not a horse racing writer. I have been in advertising and marketing and the global music industry in senior executive positions.
Maybe this is why I have so many opinions about everything that some might think I am opinionated- and why I eventually divorced the only woman I will ever love.
Like Don Henley once sang, I’m still trying to get to the heart of the matter.
I cannot lie and paint rosy pictures when I see disconnects.
To me, and there will be those who don’t like what I write.
But one must agree to disagree.
I think that HKIR Week is something very much looked forward to for many years- and not only by the racing community- international and otherwise- but as a world class product for Hong Kong and which we desperately need as a city trying to rebuild itself.
And much credit to the HKJC CEO for never giving up. The gentleman is not only resilient, I believe he’s one of the very very few people who understand and respects me and those glass onion opinions.
Once upon a time, I attended HKIR week religiously with good friends and with plenty of bon hommie which was there before, during and after the Big Day Out.
It was something that we created for ourselves.
It wasn’t a pastiche of, well, odds and sods and kinda random stuff.
There was a seamless transition from race to race as opposed to a disconnect that’s kinda like eating a kimchi sandwich or burger that’s a burrito and where you end up with stomach cramps.
With a theme that says “Love Racing”- but why?- I saw commercials for the event where world class jockeys were making signs of the heart with their fingers. Even Taylor Swift would not do that.
Didn’t we do something like this almost five years ago for Happy Wednesday with jockeys giving the Thumbs Up sign?
Below is something I wrote hoping to hell that this HKIR day would be something like what I have described.
Maybe it was in one way, and I might be in an ethnic and awkward minority, but what I saw yesterday afternoon was a show in around four parts with no core.
And yes- there was no emotional connection except, at least for me, seeing one of my favourite human beings- Oisin Murphy- winning the Hong Kong Vase.
-Hans Ebert
NO ONE RAINED ON THIS INTERNATIONAL PARADE!
Hong Kong came alive today
to the sound of thundering hooves
The best of the best equine stars
competed in the HKIR
It was poetry in motion
In every move they made
The Hong Kong International Races
With this city and the HKJC playing host
Four Group 1 races with so much to win
Like pride and glory
and global credentials to boast
Thousands cheered
And the riders rocked and roared
As they rode their mighty steeds
This was a special day for them
It was about skill and competition
And giving it everything they had
No one lost, but some had to win
And Hong Kong racing was the biggest
winner of them all
The HKIR reminded some of us
about Hope and Happiness
Taught us about
the need for teamwork
And how quickly good things
can come together
When not wasting time working alone
Winning is a team sport
This is something that we
often tend to forget
We all need a little inspiration
To help bring out our very best
In everything that we do
And everything we say
The last word goes to the video below
It features Chris Martin
of Coldplay fame
And legendary actor
Dick Van Dyke
There’s something here
It cannot be described
Emotional attachment never can
Here’s something that’s
Timeless and ageless
It’s about keeping it real
and not being a one-man band
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