It has been a torrid week for SA racing. Hopes that tracks would reopen this weekend proved false when Government failed to give the green light, and there are still great financial challenges to be overcome with the business model of racing’s operations stretched past breaking point.
The German racing authorities also got knocked back by government this week. Meanwhile, Irish fans are crossing fingers that racing, which falls under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, just like in France, might resume later this month. And the BHA is trying to program a whole bunch of catch-up features in the UK towards the end of May as well, though alternative courses, not traditional venues, might have to be used. This is all part of the global Covid – 19 tightrope balancing act trying to reconcile public health concerns and pressing economic needs.
Interbet punters can bet on overseas racing wherever it is being staged. A prime example is Hong Kong which has huge betting pools to entice horseplayers. Sunday’s G3 at Sha Tin over 2400m was won by Chefano, a son of a sire most familiar to SA observers – Silvano.
Jockey Mathew Chadwick went virtually start to finish on the light-weighted stayer who fought back after being passed briefly on the turn, to enjoy a rare success in a jockey colony dominated by kingpins, Moreira (110 wins) and Purton (109 wins).
Chefano was formerly known as Vacquero during his racing career in South Africa. He was trained by Robbie Sage, finishing third in the 2017 Dingaans. Interestingly, the first four in that race all transferred to Hong Kong and have since experienced mixed fortunes.
The winner of that Dingaans, Monks Hood (called Graceandmercy in HK) has drawn a blank from 8 outings. Second placed Seerite (campaigned as Seerite Dragon in HK, now retired) unfortunately failed there in seven starts. More successful though was the fourth finisher Flying Free who has won a couple recently in the Far East.