While racing has gone ahead today, officials at the Hong Kong Jockey Club are facing the prospect of further disruptions in coming months.
In what has been akin to an annus horribilis, the Club has gone from working through a period of significant social unrest to dealing with COVID-19.
On Sunday, the roads around Causeway Bay were packed with people protesting the announcement by China of new national security laws planned for the territory.
The HKJC’s chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges says that he’s prepared for what may lie ahead, but acknowledges that social unrest could become a major factor again, particularly as COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed.
“If we have to call off a meeting we have to call it off, but I’m cautiously optimistic that it will not happen because so far we have been able to – through significant challenges – keep the racing up and we have to be agile.” Engelbrecht-Bresges cautioned.
“I am very guarded about making predictions amid uncertainty so we will look at what we do on a daily basis. We have our business continuity team which have been dealing with Covid-19, now we get an extra layer which is a risk assessment regarding potential social issues.”
