Some know them as “horse racing photographers”. Some of us know them by name- Wallace, Donald and Vieri.
These are whom I would call true grassroots Hong Kong horse racing fans. They’re the real deal.
Taking photos of every race at every race day might be a hobby to them, but it’s more than this. It’s part and parcel of their lifestyle where, over the years, they have got to know the jockeys, trainers, assistant trainers, riding boys and have made friends with other local racing fans along the way.
If the Hong Kong Jockey Club had a street marketing team who regularly provides relevant deliverables that promote this game of chance on almost every social media platform, it’s them and a few others whose work can be seen, especially on Instagram.
Knowing Wallace(@wallacewanck) best- unforgettable Twitter handle, yes- we have pretty regular and casual late night chats about anything and everything, but mainly what local racing fans might be discussing.
It’s always interesting to get a different slant on things from what’s reported in the English racing media.
The latter pretty much sticks to pre-determined- and preordained- narratives with the occasional grenade lobbed just to go against the state of play.
What the local racing rumour mill is saying? Riveting stuff.
It might be completely wrong or it might be closer to the truth than what’s reported, but one thing’s for sure: what one hears is never boring. And you know the old saying about where there’s smoke...
These are horse racing hobbyists who see things very differently and look at things which some of us might overlook because of the bollocks blocking the view.
It’s also a stark reminder that Hong Kong is a bilingual city that’s quickly becoming trilingual.
These passionate racing fans help keep things real and they’re a documentary waiting to happen. This might become a reality sooner rather than later.
Personally, I reckon it- the documentary- can be a winner.
Wait: It will be. I’ll bet on it and put my money where my mouth is and make it happen.
Thanks, Wallace, Donald, Vieri, Ohorse and others for everything you guys do simply because of your love of the game.
It’s always much appreciated.
Comments