Sha Tin turnover pledged to Tai Po fire fund

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Jockey Club has joined the groundswell of support that has not stopped growing since the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, by donating HK$170.2 million (S$28 million) to the disaster relief fund.

In addition to the HK$100 million already pledged through its Jockey Club Emergency Relief Fund, the club donated another HK$70.2 million – being the gross income from the meeting held behind closed doors at Sha Tin on Nov 30.

The contributions were made to the HKSAR government’s Support Fund, set up as a relief fund to the Nov 26 fire that has claimed 146 lives and left 79 injured while 150 remain unaccounted for as of Nov 30.

The club said its Charities Trust will continue to work closely with relevant government departments and non-governmental organisations to provide for the immediate needs of families of the deceased and those most directly affected.

Among others, Trust-supported programmes were activated immediately to provide practical support to the families in need, such as sourcing vacant units and providing daily necessities, emergency medication, emotional and bereavement support and food assistance support for those in need.

In addition, the club has arranged temporary accommodation and contingency funds to assist club employees affected by the fire. It also set up a 24-hour hotline for staff to provide emotional support.

While the Sha Tin meeting was a sombre and subdued affair, it still hatched compelling results on the track, none more so than Hong Lok Golf (Harry Bentley, $23) for Chris So in the Class 2 (1,600m).

“His trial was really good the other day, so he was coming into this race with quite a bit of confidence,” said Bentley.

“The race panned out for me from barrier 1. The pace was good with a bit of an injection of speed around the bend, he travelled into it really well and he’s a game horse.

“Once the gap came, he picked up really well for me. Credit to the horse and the team as well.”

The other day’s highlight was yet another hat-trick of wins from champion jockey Zac Purton, who was successful aboard Packing Glory ($32), Majestic Valour ($28) and Colourful King ($19).

The Australian ace was particularly impressed by the last winner, the David Eustace-trained Colourful King, who came from near-last in the Sha Tin straight to finish at the right end of the Class 2 speed dash over the 1,000m Sha Tin straight.

“It was a really good effort (by Colourful King), it’s really hard to win from that side of the track,” said Purton referring to barrier two up the straight course. “I thought there was no choice but to take him back and go across.

“The speed was always going to be there and it was just a matter of whether the race came.

“We had enough time to reel them in and he’s done it in really good fashion.”

Before the first race, stewards, officials, employees, trainers and jockeys observed a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims of the tragic fire. HKJC