Connection of Iron

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, is usually known as P&O.

1837 or after the early 19th century, it has been a British shipping and logistics company.

1843, P & O established its Hong Kong Branch Office in Sheung Wan.

Destination of Legacy

1947 NOV, the cup was presented to the Club.

The presentation was initiated by the Honorable Marsh, a Club Steward, also the then local Managing Director of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

It marked the resumption of passenger service after the Second World War.

1948-01-19, the inaugural race was won by Owner Lai Im Tong’s FIFTH ALARM with rider Mr Boycott.

1981 FEB, presentation of P & O Cup was ceased.

The original Cup is now on permanent display in the Racing Museum at the Happy Valley Stand.

1987, P&O Challenge Cup race was reintroduced.

A new trophy cup had then been competed for annually.

2004-03-17 such a regular and valued feature of Hong Kong racing was ceased.

HIGHLIGHTS

SUMMARY

P & O Cup is one of the earliest sponsors of HKJC classic trophy races.

It was a big annual horse racing event in Hong Kong.

REFERENCE

1970s, after the professionalization of Hong Kong racing record:

The Most Winning Trainer:
3 times by I.W.Allan

The Most Winning Jockey:
3 times by B Marcus

Mr Greenstreet Kan commented in his《Tales of Horse Racing》:

“The owner of the winning horse is traditionally invited to give a speech at the annual Gimcrack Dinner, which is held at the racecourse in December.
After this trophy race, the presentation was neither held at once nor at the grandstand but had to appoint another ‘chosen’ date and another ‘chosen’ venue other than the racecourse.

P & O had six luxury liners as possible locations of the award though it could fix neither the booking of which ship, nor the setting of which day immediately. It had to depend on their schedule of arriving in Hong Kong. That was the era when aerial transportation was not well-developed as nowadays so cruising was the most noble means of travel enjoyment. Therefore, a lunch on board could be a dream for many people. The P & O Cup chosen to be presented there was to pursuit the kind of atmosphere unavailable by the grandstand. The procedures were a lunch first, and then a triumphant speech about Hong Kong racing by the winning owners before an award ceremony. Those were all in accordance with the British classic, Gimcrack Stakes. The owner of the winning horse is traditionally invited to give a speech before the meal which only take place on the ground. Its arrangement of venue could be a difference from the P & O Cup.

However, such a ritual of P & O Cup might scare off the participation of Chinese winning horses as their owners could be afraid of public speaking or worry about their fluency of English speaking. In addition to the appropriateness of topic, all those mentioned factors could make those owners prefer not to win instead. Some of them made their entry then their withdrawal eventually or just hoping for a defeat to avoid the embarrassment of addressing an awkward speech in the presentation.

By that time, quite a number of Chinese owners won the trophy but none of them made the speech in Cantonese or Mandarin then being translated into English. During that era, the competence to speak English was part of the symbol of social status. So there had been one or two owners willing to undergo a cram in English before the ceremonial speech. These could be the humorous memories of the P & O Cup races.”

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