Corporate News

New season heralds an enhanced experience to further augment racing as popular entertainment

09/04/2012

The new racing season begins on Saturday, 8 September, bringing with it an opening Triple Trio dividend of HK$60 million and a number of innovative new initiatives from the Hong Kong Jockey Club that will take racing entertainment to a new level in the 2012/13 campaign.

The massive Triple Trio dividend straddles the season’s opening two fixtures and with its customers at the heart of the Jockey Club’s drive for an improved entertainment experience, the Club’s Flexi Bet will, for the new season, have a minimum stake of $1 when the total bet amount is $100 or above, giving customers more flexibility and greater scope to succeed.

Richard Cheung, Executive Director, Customer and Marketing hosted a pre-season press briefing today said “Building on the huge success of the Happy Wednesday Brand, the coming season will deliver even more popular Themed Nights at the city track entertainment hub, as the Club aims to create a consistent Happy Wednesday experience for the rising young crowd. Extended to cover almost every Happy Valley fixture, the themes this season include Oktoberfest, Wines in the Valley and Music Rocks the Valley and more, guaranteeing vibrant Wednesday fun in the newly-expanded Beer Garden.

“This thematic approach will also be in further evidence at Sha Tin this season, as the track’s 1 January fixture will emerge as a new major race day – an occasion of luck and good fortunate for Hong Kong racing fans to kick off the new year,” added Mr Cheung.

Meanwhile, the HKG1 Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Race day is to be an occasion for the men to take centre stage as a new “Gentlemen’s Day”, balancing the gender equilibrium in a male focused alternative to the current Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse event, which is a huge success year after year.

Continuing the Club’s successful embrace of digital technology, a new iPad betting app will launch in late September, enhancing the technological experience as it offers all bet types, more comprehensive information and instant fund transfer. Later in the season, Version 2 of the popular Race Simulator app will be launched with augmented functions. Version 1 already has more than 150,000 downloads since its May launch. Also, the racing calendar is available electronically for Android and iPhone/iPad.

“The Club recognizes the value of fingertip technology to the growing number of race goers keen to engage with racing on a convenient digital footing, a forum that is intrinsic to their contemporary lifestyles,” said Mr Cheung. “Our latest advances enable race fans to access even more information and enjoy a state-of-the-art experience at the touch of a screen.”

Among the new features awaiting racing fans this season is an extension of the Rising Star program. This latest twist on the theme supports young talents in expanded fields including pastry chefs, illustrators, mixologists, singer-songwriters, fashion designers together with racing specialists. The winners of these categories will be engaged in entertaining race-goers at various Happy Wednesday events throughout the season.

Also new for this season, Racing Specialists will be available online to provide registered customers with expert analysis via chat-group platforms and channels such as Facebook.

To cater to the increasing tourists demand, a pilot new Putonghua language zone will be set up at selected OCBBs.  This first one would be set up at the Sheung Shui Branch.

Together with the various new venues coming into service when the new season opens, Mr Cheung invited all racing fans and the public to come to Sha Tin Racecourse on Saturday, 8 September to enjoy what is the most popular sporting entertainment in Hong Kong.

For enquiries, please call HKJC's Customer Hotline 1817 or visit http://203.215.253.53/.  All racegoers must be aged 18 or above.

Attachment - New marketing and customer service initiatives (S2012/13)

Richard Cheung, Executive Director, Customer and Marketing of HKJC hosts a press briefing today at Sha Tin Racecourse to introduce a number of innovative new initiatives from the Hong Kong Jockey Club that will take racing entertainment to a new level in the 2012/13 campaign.
Richard Cheung, Executive Director, Customer and Marketing of HKJC hosts a press briefing today at Sha Tin Racecourse to introduce a number of innovative new initiatives from the Hong Kong Jockey Club that will take racing entertainment to a new level in the 2012/13 campaign.

Photo 2a£į?3 :<br>
Head of Customer Management (New Segment) David Lam (right) and Executive Manager, Racing Marketing and Sponsorship Sandra Chan (left),  join Richard Cheung at todaya£į?s press briefing.
Photo 2a£į?3 :
Head of Customer Management (New Segment) David Lam (right) and Executive Manager, Racing Marketing and Sponsorship Sandra Chan (left), join Richard Cheung at todaya£į?s press briefing.


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