To err on the side of caution is always a wise thing to do instead of going in with guns blazing and shooting one’s self in the foot with a cannon while the mouth runneth over.

(Source: Imagineering Now)

So it was with interest that we read the Sunday Post and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges’ rather cautious and conservative look at the upcoming Hong Kong racing season.

(Source: HKJC)

Re-reading the piece, it was not so much what he said, but what could be read between the lines, especially regarding China and horse racing.

(Source: Winning Eleven Blog)

During recent visits we made Down Under, we came across so many with plans to conquer the China racing market.

We listened, whistled Dixie and couldn’t help visualizing several bulls crashing into the same China teashop.

(Source: Ali Img)

Talking about upcoming exhibitions like Inner Mongolia (???) hosting the China Equine Cultural race meeting in September with an entrance fee reported to be AUS$1,000 before, with the financial backing of Dubai’s Sheik Mo, Chengdu hosts another non-betting race meeting, the HKJC CEO was pretty restrained with his reply- but it was still very telling.

While mentioning his interest in seeing “innovation in racing”, he hit the Dr Strangelove Detonate button by adding, “It is more difficult to implement the development of the sport than talking about it” before ending with the knockout and game, set and match line: “Holding a race meeting is one thing; it is entirely another, a giant leap, to take that to a sustainable business model”.

(Source: Renew Theaters)

And there you have the key word, Dimitri: SUSTAINABILITY.

(Source: Fan Pop)

As history has proven, sustainability in anything in China and with Chinese politics always hovering above, these have always made strange and flighty bedfellows.

They are even stranger and more tenuous bedfellows today as China is going through a series of internal changes with the high profile trial of Bo Xilai, below, once seen as one of the most powerful politicians, for corruption.

(Source: Ta Kung Pao)

This trial, the names trotted out, accusations of adultery and his estranged wife charged with murder and the vast and far-reaching degree of corruption involved, plus, a day ago, the graft charges against Jiang Jiemen, below, director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration and former Chairman of the country’s biggest oil company, can be seen as internal problems being cleaned out.

(Source: SMH)

With everything coming down to timing and China quite possibly on the verge of one of its regular political “purges”.

These “purges” take place so the Government can be seen to be starting again with a clean slate and new players.

Until one sees how and where the pieces fall, horse racing is not exactly a priority at the moment for the leaders of this highly complicated country and with no one sure who wears the white hats or if everyone is actually wearing black hats.

(Source: Photo Bucket)

So, leaving China to settle down and work out Hu’s on first and whether Wai’s on second, “E.B.” is doing the smart thing: Looking at what’s going on in his own backyard- the International Races in December, the new venues and innovations and how Hong Kong and the Club present themselves at the Asian Racing Conference in May.

(Source: Fan Pop)

With Hong Kong being the host country for this conference and an audience of over a thousand visitors from the racing fraternity, it provides the HKJC with the perfect showcase to put its best foot forward in The Year Of The Horse.

(Source: Chinese New Year In)

What’s there to showcase? How long is a ball of a string? How will everything be shown?

To us, through a combination of a great audio-visual presentation punctuated by relevant ‘live’ performances and a great speech that makes all the pieces fit.

(Source: Pic DN)

There’s the Happy Wednesday brand with its different venues, International class racing at every meeting and people meeting people.

It’s a real Rainbow Coalition that shows the “Internationalism” of Hong Kong- which no other city has- and, at the same time, propels the HKJC juggernaut into the much bigger arena of entertainment and no longer seen as “just another racing club.” Leave that for the others.

Being a city of contrasts, there is then the racing at Shatin and further proof of horses for courses and the need to appeal to different customer segments plus the blue chip sponsorship appeal of the meetings at this racetrack.

(Source: HKJC)

Showing, for example, how the Sa Sa Ladies Day has evolved over the years- along with the riding and equine talent- will be of tremendous interest to the visitors and here, a performance by the amazing Sa Ding Ding will, we think, really bring the message home.

As every hit song and every successful presentation needs a strong chorus and bridge, the HKJC Charities and what it has done for Hong Kong, what it is doing and what it will do for the children- the future of Hong Kong- must be seen and heard.

Why be shy? If you have it, flaunt it.

(Source: Pearsonelt)

The HKJC Charities brings everything together, it completes the circle and emphasizes the need to focus on and enhance everything that has proven to have sustainability.

Yes, it’s that word again.

(Source: HKJC)