The engagement of thoroughbred racing in Mainland China moved forward another step with Sunday’s 2017 CECF Ordos Race Day in Inner Mongolia, China – among the most watched racing events anywhere in the world in 2017.
An online audience of two million viewers tuned in to see the second of the two-day lifestyle, business and thoroughbred racing festival which was attended by 16,000 racing fans.
Interspersed among the local racing fans were business heavyweights and thoroughbred industry leaders from across China as well as their peers from Australia, Britain, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.
“The response to the 2017 CECF Ordos is indicative to the opportunity for the creation of a commercial thoroughbred industry right here in Ordos, Inner Mongolia,” said Teo Ah Khing, Chairman of the Inner Mongolia Yitai Desert Star Horse Industries and the China Horse Club.
“Opportunities like this are very special and have national implications. They are also not possible without the leadership and support of the Ordos Government and Yiqi Government, all of our partners and sponsors, especially our four feature race sponsors 1436, the Australian Turf Club, Sir Owen Glenn and Anglo Hibernian Bloodstock Insurance and our domestic and international partners.”
Ordos City Deputy Mayor, Mr Li Guojian, spoke ahead of the CECF Race Day at Ordos Yiqi Racecourse by outlining the significance of the CECF and its wider implications as a driver for the growth of a commercial thoroughbred industry.
“This will continue to help develop horse industry projects and provide more investment opportunities for Ordos to develop the economy of the region.”
Racing honours were shared equally between Chinese and international jockeys.
Australia’s Daniel Moor and South Africa’s Sherman Brown saluted in the Anglo Hibernian CECF International Breeders’ Cup (1000m) and the 1436 CECF North Dakota Classic (2000m) respectively while China’s Liu Sanping prevailed in a stirring finish in the Sir Owen Glenn Genghis Khan Cup (1200m).
That’s our Sherman Brown!
However, the crowning moment of the afternoon came with the delivery of a win for China’s only competing female jockey Zhang Ruirui in the Australian Turf Club CECF Champions Cup (1000m). Ruirui became the first female jockey to win at a CECF locally or internationally and is believed to have become the first female jockey to have won a thoroughbred race in Mainland China.
Sherman Brown’s medal haul
Having starved off the late surge of South Africa’s Sherman Brown (Lilly Pins) and Russian Alexander Ivanskoy (Orange Crush), the bashful Ruirui returned to scale to the pulsating roars of a parochial local crowd and an excited ownership group.
The significance of her triumph may only be fully appreciated in time. In a country that is enjoying the wonderful achievements of women in business and mainstream sports, the significance of a potential star female jockey cannot be underscored to the future of the fledgling sport.
