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Hong Kong's reputation as the region's leading major events destination has been further boosted across Australia with the staging of the Golden Slipper Day – one of the biggest events on the international racing calendar.
The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney, Ms Lorna Wong, said today (April 4) that the event was a perfect platform to promote Hong Kong as there was strong synergy between Hong Kong and Australia's horse racing industries, with Australian trainers, jockeys and horses long part of Hong Kong's racing establishment.
"These strong links highlight not just the synergy between our thriving racing industries, but also how in Hong Kong, sport and culture had seamlessly mixed with business and pleasure in a world class environment."
She said that Hong Kong was the leading Asian major sporting events destination that appealed strongly to Australian audiences.
"Over the past eight months Hong Kong has hosted Olympic and Paralympic Equestrian Events, the annual international Cricket Sixes tournament, the Bledisloe Cup Rugby Union Match between the Wallabies and the All Blacks, and last week, the celebrated HK Rugby Sevens – Australian competitors featured in every one of those events," Ms Wong said.
She said Hong Kong would host the 5th East Asian Games this December, when more than 3,000 athletes from nine countries would take part in more than 1,700 events in 23 sports.
"It will be the biggest ever East Asian Games and Hong Kong looks forward to hosting yet another major international sporting event," she said.
The Golden Slipper Day is held at Sydney's Rosehill Racecourse and beamed live across the nation and around the world. It is being jointly supported this year by the HKETO and Cathay Pacific to showcase Hong Kong's dynamism and vitality.
Ends/Saturday, April 4, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:43
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