AT THE RACES TO SHOW ATTRACTION AND SILENT WITNESS CLASH
At The Races has secured UK and Ireland rights to broadcast the clash of dual 1,000 Guineas heroine Attraction and Hong Kong superstar Silent Witness in the Champion Mile at Sha Tin on Saturday 14th May.
The race, the first leg of the Asian Mile Challenge and worth HK$8m, will be recorded and shown during Racing News on At The Races just after 9am.
The Mark Johnston-trained Attraction, one of 14 horses currently engaged in the race, arrived in Hong Kong earlier this week with connections seemingly bullish about her chances following an impressive workout at Newmarket on 1,000 Guineas day.
However, she faces a tough home challenge from the Tony Cruz-trained Silent Witness - officially ranked the world's top sprinter and unbeaten in 17 starts, including eight wins at Group One level - who will be attempting a mile for the first time on Saturday having scored impressively over seven furlongs on his latest start.
Other notable entries include the Australian-trained Delzao and Bullish Luck, who chased home Alexander Goldrun in the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin in December.
Matthew Imi, Chief Executive of At The Races, said: "This really is a mouthwatering prospect and we are grateful to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for working with us to deliver this to the huge number of At The Races viewers who have contacted us recently asking if we'll be showing the race. We wish The Duke of Roxburghe, Mark and Deirdre Johnston, Kevin Darley and Attraction herself the very best of luck on Saturday."
The Asian Mile Challenge comprises the Champions Mile and the Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo on 5 June.
LEICESTER RACECOURSE UNDERWRITES WETHERBY RIGHTS ISSUE
Leicester Racecourse Holdings Limited (Leicester) has acquired a 24% stake in the Wetherby Steeplechase Committee Limited (Wetherby) by underwriting a recent Wetherby rights issue.
The rights issue, which was approved at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Wetherby shareholders held on Sunday 24th April 2005, has raised significant new capital for Wetherby which will enable the West Yorkshire course to press ahead with plans for further modernisation and development.
Mr Clive Buckle, a Leicester director, has also been invited to join the Wetherby Board.
Commenting on the rights issue, Wetherby's Chairman, Mr John Sanderson, said: "I am delighted that, with the help of Leicester, we have been able to execute this rights issue. Not only does this raise funding with which we can drive Wetherby further forward, it also creates a strategic alliance with a fellow independent racecourse company, whose objectives and values are similar to our own."
Speaking on behalf of Leicester, Managing Director Nick Lees said: "Horse racing is Leicester's core business, so we were very pleased to be able to take this investment opportunity in one of the country's leading jumps racecourses. We look forward to contributing to Wetherby's future success and believe that both companies will benefit from this association."
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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