ROB'S SHOUT - SUNSHINE, SADNESS AND THE CHINA HORSE CLUB GETS SET TO BECOME A BIG PLAYER
By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, August 8, 2013
Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO, workload permitting.
Hello once again. Isn’t it great to have a continuous period of fine sunny weather? I don’t know about you but the sun shining just makes me feel better.
I know it makes for better horse racing although I do think the punters do have to be a little bit cautious for the next few weeks until some new form lines have been firmly established.
Even horses that go well on top of the ground can race below par if they have had a few ‘runs’ on the wet tracks which may have ‘flattened’ them a bit and until they get their spark back and some freshness in their legs they may be down on form a bit which can see some unusual results.
It often comes down to the skill of the trainers to make sure they have their charges in as good a shape as possible but punters ... don’t go shouting and screaming if things don't always go your way until an established form line is happening again!
It is not an exact science!
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It has been an incredibly sad week in the racing world. As sobering as some of the things that happen in our industry may be, there is nothing that can quite sober up the industry like the death of a jockey.
My condolences go out to the family of Simone. It certainly does highlight the dangers that each and every jockey and track rider experience every time they sit on a racehorse.
I was so pleased with the initiative of the Darwin Race Club and the NT government regarding the fundraising for Simone’s family and in particular her young daughter.
So very sad, such a tragic loss
.
I know this is a particular and extreme circumstance but, why oh why do we have to experience a tragedy before all … and I mean all … of racing pulls together?
If we could only take that spirit of goodwill and cooperation into other areas from here, it would do the legacy of Simone Montgomerie proud.
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The new racing season is now under way and my stable kicked the season off with an exciting win by a youngster with the name of Olympic Anthem.
The name is inspired from the recent Beijing Olympic Games as the horse races under the banner of the China Horse club.
This is a new and exciting venture under the chairmanship of Mr Teo Ah Khing. I was fortunate enough to have been introduced to the club’s General Manager Eden Harrington through my association with Duncan Rammage who manages the affairs of prominent Malaysian owner Dato Tan Chin Nam.
This is a new racing venture with the club’s first Australian winner in the club’s silks being our winner on Wednesday. Exciting stuff indeed.
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Olympic Anthem is by Starcraft and I recognised very early when he first came into my care that he may well be a horse with plenty of promise.
Yes, he did plenty wrong in his debut race which saw him have to fend off a protest in the stewards’ room lodged on behalf of the favourite Grey Countess, trained by a good friend of the China Horse Club in John Thompson.
It is still too early to make any bold predictions about this young racehorse but experience has long taught me that usually only very good horses can win at their debut and beating a former Saturday metro winner does suggest that this son of Starcraft can go onto much better things.
I am certainly hopeful also that the win has helped my profile with in the club and there may indeed be more horses down the track to carry the distinctive livery of the CHC here in Brisbane!
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The emergence of the internationally recognised racing in China could be a godsend for the industry in Australia … as evidenced by the comments of Mr Teo Ah Khing, Chairman of the China Horse Club (as reported in the Club’s press release), that, “There is every reason to believe the China Equine Cultural Festival can be the catalyst for the successful emergence of China’s thoroughbred industry.
“Our organization is looking forward to playing a lead role in growing the thoroughbred industry in China and this role may be as signi?cant an investment as sourcing €100 million worth of stallions and mares over the next 10 years.”
Wow!
The China Horse Club is instrumental in driving the emerging Chinese Thoroughbred Industry and the catalyst that the Chairman was talking about is the 2013 China Equine Cultural Event in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.
The China Equine Cultural Festival in September is set to be a celebration of international thoroughbred racing in Mainland China with participation from owners, breeders, of?cials and jockeys from many of the world’s premier jurisdictions.
A progressive plan was recently announced with the Inner Mongolia region singled out as an ideal location to host the inaugural China Equine Cultural Event because of its historic equine heritage, favourable natural and political environment, enthusiastic local thoroughbred owners and matured infrastructure.
“The China Equine Cultural Festival will be built upon to be a world class carnival within this country. That in turn will promote involvement from local Chinese in racing and breeding and encourage wider participation from established regions,” added Mr Teo Ah Khing.
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The September race meeting will be an eight race non-betting exhibition program that will offer the richest prize money in Mainland China. (More than 40 internationally bred thoroughbreds, including 13 stakes winner and brothers/sisters to stakes winners, from Europe and Australia will compete on a day that will also showcase China’s most talented performers drawn from more than 25 horse clubs nationally).
There can be no doubt that the China Equine Cultural Festival, which will incorporate the first internationally endorsed thoroughbred meeting held in mainland China will be a huge event in itself and it is anticipated that it will have huge positive implications for the global thoroughbred industry in the future.
Something to watch with interest.
Until next week,
Good health and regards,
Robert
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