On Saturday, Hong Kong Jockey Club officials warned that there would be limited access to Sha Tin, given the ongoing political situation in Hong Kong, and so it proved, as attendance was down over 50% from last year's Jockey Club meeting. According to South China Morning Post, handle was down HK$134 million to HK1.417 billion, a number even less surprising given the closure of many off-track wagering branches.
“At this stage, turnover is not our prime consideration–it is safety,” HKJC CEO Winfried Englebrecht-Bresges told the Post. “We want to keep the sport going. This meeting was key to the qualification and the fitness of the local horses heading to the Hong Kong International Races. We live in challenging times and in challenging times sometimes you have to make some tough decisions based on risk.”
Englebrecht-Bresges also took heart in the 'success' of the meeting headed towards the HKIR.
“The fact we were able to hold this meeting without any issues sends a very strong signal internationally that this is a very resilient place to have horse racing,” he told the publication. “Everything has gone as smoothly as possible. Despite the challenges, a lot of people still came.”
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