China News Service, Hong Kong, December 7th, title: Interview with Chinese trainer Luo Fuquan: Hong Kong's "horse race" under the epidemic is even more spiritual encouragement

　　China News Agency reporter Han Xingtong

　　"The first memory of horses is that they are on the banks of the Pisces River in Sheung Shui. Some horses are grazing there and recuperating." His father is a stable assistant, so Luo Fuquan has always been closer to and curious about horses than others.

　　As for the jockey's demeanor, he will never forget it when he saw it on TV. "I think they are so powerful." From then on, he had a dream of becoming a jockey.

　　In 1981, Luo Fuquan joined the Jockey Club through the Race Trainee Program in his third year of secondary school.

After more than a year of training, he became a trainee jockey, and was promoted to jockey in 1987. During his tenure as a jockey, he won a total of 27 top horses.

　　However, when the development was gaining momentum, Luo Fuquan suddenly decided to retire and turn to behind-the-scenes development to become an assistant trainer.

Regarding the decision at that time, he now recalls with no hesitation or regret, "There were a large number of jockeys at the time, and the competition was fierce. In addition, the children were born one after the other, and the future and income need to be considered."

　　For Luo Fuquan, becoming a trainer can be said to be a hindrance and a long time. In the previous 20 years, he has served as a trainer's assistant, and he finally succeeded in applying for the trainer three times.

On one occasion, two were selected from the three, but he fell behind.

I feel lost and frustrated.

　　"At that time, I thought, what should I do if the third time is not successful? I will definitely try the fourth and fifth times until it succeeds." Luo Fuquan was very firm, and he asked himself more than once, why Others can do it, you can't do it?

"There is no reason. As long as I work hard, I can definitely do it."

　　Since joining the industry, he has returned to work in the stables at 5 a.m. every day. After finishing a day’s work, it is often twilight hours. During the summer break in Hong Kong, he fought for the opportunity to study abroad and equip himself. He once went to Australia and New Zealand. Observing and working with Japanese stables, I have gained a lot of overseas training experience.

　　The roles of a jockey and a trainer are completely different. The former "riding on a horse, like driving a sports car, full of speed, if you win, of course it feels good"; the latter is not anxious, the test is to the horse for many years. Careful care and careful training.

"Some horses came to Hong Kong when they were very young, which is equivalent to raising them from childhood to adulthood and watching them grow all the way. If they can win in the end, they will be very happy."

　　I'm most afraid of encountering horses that are almost training, but suddenly falling ill will disrupt the next work plan.

Recently, there was a horse with sputum in the trachea. The veterinary test revealed that there was a bacterial infection.

He decided to let it recuperate for two months, and it really got twice the result with half the effort. The horse outperformed last week's race.

　　There are 22 active trainers in Hong Kong, about half of them are foreigners and Chinese. The 54-year-old Luo Fuquan has won 22 top horse races so far this season, temporarily ranking second in the trainer rankings.

　　In fact, when Luo Fuquan first entered the industry, the performance of Chinese horse trainers was in the middle and lower reaches. “Foreign horse trainers have been in contact with horses from small to large, and are familiar with horses and horse riding. In the evening, you usually cannot enter the jockey school until you are a teenager.” At that time, some international horse racing events were held in Hong Kong, and it was common for foreign horses to win many awards.

In recent years, many Chinese horse trainers have begun to study and exchange abroad, and then come back to apply what they have learned, which has improved the performance of Chinese horse trainers. "A few of the top trainers are Chinese, and they can even Be a champion trainer".

He is full of confidence in the development of Chinese horse trainers in the future. This determination to strive for the top always comes from his introspective rhetorical question-why others can do it, you can't do it?

　　This year's Hong Kong International Race will be held at Sha Tin Racecourse on December 13.

It is reported that the Hong Kong International Race is an annual global horse racing event. It is the target of the world’s top horses, jockeys, trainers and horse owners. It is known as the "World Grassland Championships Day". The four grassland international first-class events on that day The race's journey ranged from 1,200 meters to 2,400 meters, and the total prize money was as high as 95 million Hong Kong dollars, which is still an increase of 2 million compared to last year under the epidemic.

　　Luo Fuquan's horses "Daily Wonderful" and "Return of Honor" will compete for the Longines Hong Kong Short-distance Championship, while the "Smart Talent" will compete for the Longines Hong Kong Mile Championship.

　　The continuous spread of the global epidemic has made this event unable to welcome large-scale spectators to enter the venue, and it is difficult to continue the excitement of the past.

But to some extent, "Ma Zhaoran" has a stirring metaphor in this difficult period.

　　Horse racing culture has a history of more than one hundred years in Hong Kong. It is deeply rooted in the hearts and lives of the people. It is an "indispensable thing" in the leisure life of this city. "Hong Kong people feel so bored and unhappy if they don't watch the horse racing every day."

Luo Fuquan remembers that in 2003, the SARS epidemic was raging, and a horse named “Elite Master” won 17 consecutive games, which was quite exciting. That kind of spiritual encouragement made the value of horse racing far exceed the excitement of competition. It is to penetrate into the community of destiny of individuals and cities fighting the epidemic and fighting for survival.

He said that he hopes this event will bring the same message to the public.

(Finish)