Jan 19, 20165 min read

THE HAPPY WEDNESDAY DAILY

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TURN JAPANESE ONE MORE TIME!‏

It’s the last Happy Wednesday to Turn Japanese before Happy Valley Racecourse welcomes in The Lunar New Year of the Monkey, so kimono down. Take in all things Japanese- sukiyaki, Kirin Beer, kimono-clad racing specialists, traditional drummers and dancers from The Land Of The Rising Sun- and some of the best racing in the world starring a true United Nations of great riders.

And whereas some racing clubs in the land Down Under have been known to charge almost HK$70 for a plate of dodgy fries, all the different dinner boxes served up right next to the track- Curry Chicken with Rice, Wonton Noodles, Barbecued Pork and Rice etc- are around HK$40 while next to the Beer Garden for those craving a Big Mac is a McDonald’s.

If you wanna go upmarket and international, HK $370 gets you into the popular club Adrenaline. This includes a great buffet plus a drink, the best ‘live’ music in town, and two balcony areas offering a stunning view of the races. To avoid disappointment, it’s strongly recommended that you make a booking.

For those wishing to have a more intimate dinner with friends, focus on the racing together, and use the various apps like RacingTouch, and the Race Simulator to find you some winners, there’s the Gallery. Entrance fee is H$410 which includes a buffet, choice of a Main Course and all you can eat at the Salad Bar.

A Happy Wednesday is for a very diverse group of customers. What’s on offer are a buffet of choices- from the different venues to cuisine and activities, and, of course, the unique ways people approach horse racing- and how to win at the sport.

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HAPPY WEDNESDAY: FUN, INTER-ACTIVE, EDGY, COOL, CREATIVE AND STYLISH

Stand still and you get run over by progress and change. Innovate and one motivates and creates brand loyalty. It’s what creates brands and keep brand images relevant.

The HKJC’s Happy Wednesday brand has come a long way from being the oddly-named “Sassy Wednesday” with a kinda quiet Beer Garden to one today with ‘live’ music, competitions, inter-activity, four hours of fun led by the excitement of racing that’s offered up close and personal, and venues like Adrenaline and The Gallery.

Now, there’s more: All the quirky fun of the 7-Second Challenge created by hugely popular YouTubers Dan & Phil from the UK with over 1.8 million followers. Introduced at Happy Valley Racecourse a few months ago, it’s become an instant hit with Happy Wednesday regulars. There’s a time and place for silliness- and this 7-Second Challenge is a real ice-breaker.

A Happy Wednesday is also bringing out the city’s fashionistas- and those with a sense of style passing through Hong Kong, and wanting a fun night out at the races.

The video below featuring the latest players to join our ongoing Fashionistas Competition not only shows the international appeal of a Happy Wednesday, but also brings a sense of style to the races, and a huge opportunity for the creative sponsors out there. It’s a magnet for product placement, and branding.

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THE SIX UP CHALLENGE BEGINS IN EARNEST

Winnie, the Racing Specialist and compère at Adrenaline, was confident, perhaps, over-confident, as she took up the Six Up Challenge against singer Jennifer Palor.

Remember, the idea of the Six Up is to pick the winners of the last six races. But even if your selections all come second, you’re entitled to the Six Up consolation, which can also mean a healthy payout.

At this time last week, Jennifer didn’t know a Six Up from a 7-Up. Winnie knew about handicapping, the importance of barrier draws, the jockeys booked for the rides etc, and she looked a dangerous foe in a one-horse race.

Jennifer? Jennifer went with names- Hang’s Decision, because she had to make a decision, Lucky Ball because, well, we don’t quite know why, All Win Boy as that’s what she wanted the horse to do- win etc etc. As when singing, she went with her gut instinct and ‘feel’

While Winnie’s Six Up went pooh at the second leg, Jennifer made it all the way to the end. She might not have selected six winners, but two winners and four second place getters were enough for her to win almost $6,000 for an outlay of only $180.

Why $180? She picked one horse in Race 3, the opening leg of the Six Up, three horses in R4, one horse in Race 5, two in Race 6, three in Race 7, and one in Race 8. This meant a simple equation of 1x3x1x2x3x1=180. Clever girl.

This Wednesday, Winnie, Jennifer and others will do battle again for Six Up supremacy with the popular singer at Adrenaline confident of going one better.

Says Jennifer, “Now that I understand how it’s played, and actually know where the betting counters are, I am pretty confident I can turn the $6,000 won last Wednesday to ten times more this time!” You go, girl!

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Racing to win- and having FUN! How it works…

A tip: This can be a fun way to try and win BIG by pooling your resources with friends. The more choices, the bigger the outlay, so take the following as a guide: The Six Up goes from Race 3 to Race 8. If you and your friends pick two horses in each race- 2x2x2x2x2x2- this will cost the team HK$640 for a $10 ticket. Too expensive? Take the Six Up for $5, which will cost you HK$320. Or take it for even $2. The key is to have fun by winning with friends!

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JOCKEYS TO FOLLOW

When three of the best jockeys in the world are competing for riding honours, the odds are that they will attract the best rides. For the next few weeks, Hong Kong racing fans will be the luckiest in the world to have our Champion Jockey- Brazilian Joao Moreira aka The Magic Man doing battle with the UK’s Champion Jockey of last season and fellow Brazilian Silvestre De Sousa and the brilliant Ryan Moore, voted 2014’s World’s Best Jockey.

Add to these three names, Australian Brett Prebble, below, who rode a magnificent treble last Wednesday, Irishman Neil Callan, South African Douglas Whyte, Mauritian Karis Teetan, and in-from local riders Derek Leung, Vincent Ho and Keith Yeung.

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HOLLYWOOD WOOS WU- HAPPY WEDNESDAY’S KATHY WU

She’s been part of the Happy Wednesday family for a few years, and on Wednesday, we say Goodbye to popular compère Kathy Wu. Very knowledgeable about horse racing, and well-known to regulars at the Beer Garden and Adrenaline, Kathy leaves Hong Kong for Hollywood to take up a career in movies. The timing couldn’t be better with so many American film producers these days looking for new, young American-born Chinese female talent. Lucy Lu and others have had their day. Good luck, Kathy! Thanks for everything, especially your professionalism and enthusiasm!