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Competition grows as Million Challenge reaches half-way mark 27 October 2003
Nine horses and one standby runner that have already won points in the series are among the declared starters. REWARD is the top-ranked contender among them and at present ranks eighth with 15 points, trailing behind the current leader DASHING CHAMPION by 13 points. A win for REWARD on Wednesday will add 12 points to his tally and he will leap into second position. Horses that had previously won points again proved the ones to follow at Happy Valley last Saturday when there were five Challenge races. Twelve of the runners that competed had already won points and produced three winners, a second, four thirds and two fifths that day - 66.7% of the 12 finished in the first three. The Po Leung Kuk Centenary Cup was the featured race that day in which Dashing Champion wearing the coveted yellow saddle cloth identifying the series leader, was beaten a neck by Acrobatic, finishing third and claimed four points more to maintain his position as leader. Fighting Mascot and Splendid Patrol also won on Saturday and now jointly rank the second position. Half of the challenge series has now been completed and those hoping to win the inaugural Happy Valley Million Challenge and the bonus of HK$650,000 must seize every chance in the remaining Happy Valley programmes. Wednesday's feature race, the Hong Kong Golf Club Centenary Cup, is a Class 3 event over 1650m carrying HK$700,000 prize money. Mr Mike Grimsdick, Captain of The Hong Kong Golf Club, will present the Cup to the winning owner. The Hong Kong Golf Club is one of the oldest and most prestigious sports clubs in Hong Kong. To mark its long association with The Hong Kong Jockey Club, it donated the cup in 1985, to be raced for annually. Declared Starters with points in HVMC at Wednesday meeting
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