Racing Colours and Owner: Lan
Red: dark-green & blk.hpd.slvs., blk.cap.
Passing Genes of Equestrian Affection
The most enthusiastic and prominent Chinese horse owner in Hong Kong before professionalization.
The Father Of “The Father Of International Racing”
Li Lan Sang came from one of the most influential families in Hong Kong.
Lan Sang 蘭生 is his scholastic name, of which 作芳 is his family name.
Among the racing fraternity he was known simply as Mr Lan.
From his early youth he derived tremendous pleasure from the sport of Horse racing.
Mr Lan once owned the largest number of race horses in Hong Kong.
HIGHLIGHTS
1918-02-26, Mr Lan was trapped under mat-sheds scaffolding the flames barely feet away, and someone rescuing him from the Fire of Happy Valley Racecourse.
1937, bought Sir Victor Sassoon‘s stable.
1940, led in four winners on one race meeting alone.
1940, financed the founding of Kowloon Dairy with Mr George Ahwee and jockey Rudy Choy.
1941, DISTANT VIEW, one of his successful horse was hit by shrapnel and had to be destroyed.
1969-12-06 Mr Lan passed away at the races, according to 《Industrial Commercial Daily Press》and 《Wah Kiu Yat Po》on the next day.
His best horse was FAR VIEW which won three races in one week.
At the Annual Meeting (spread over five days) FAR VIEW won:
- the Criterion on Opening Day
- the Derby Trial on the third day
- the Champions on the final day
He had over 30 horses in training in the same time.
Some of his famous horses in record:
1930 MANY VIEW
1933 DARIEN
1935 PLAIN VIEW
1936 NIGHT VIEW
1936 FOREST VIEW
1936 MAGNIICIE VIEW
1936 SPLENDID VIEW
1936 GLORIOUS VIEW
1940 COMMON VIEW
1940 FARVIEW
1950 DISTANT VIEW
1951 GRAND VIEW
1970 PREDOMINANT VIEW
SUMMARY
Mr. Lan was sadly missed by his family and friends.
His son Alan tells the final story, “my father had a heart attack and died when his horse PREDOMINANT VIEW entered the Home Straight about the final furlong. It was a mercifully sudden, a fine end for a gentleman dedicated his life to horse racing of Hong Kong!”
All his following generations continued the family interest in racing.
REFERENCE
Li Lan-Sang’s brothers Li Tse-Fong and Li Siu Pang were also keen racing men and big owners, who had private boxes next to each others in Happy Valley:
Li Tze-fong (father of the Club’s deputy chairman Aubrey Li)
Li Siu-pan (Li Fook Tong’s father, owner of TIC TAC MAN)
Li Lan-Sang made a practice of personally feeding fresh grass to all his horses each morning.
He usually went to the Valley to watch the track work.
He insisted his sons go with him despite the early hour and the cold weather in winter.
Li Lan Sang derived tremendous pleasure from the sport. So that in a way it was only fitting he should pass away while at the races.
Two of his sons Alan and Eric kept racing in his colors.
His son, the late Alan Li Fook-Sum, was Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club from 1998 to 2002.
He is a towering figure in HKJC history and is revered as the father of international racing.
2007-04-29, ABLE ONE owned by Dr. Cornel Li, another son of Mr Lan, landed the Group One Champions Mile at odds of 32-1.
2010-04-25, ABLE ONE drew clear in the home stretch to win the Group One Champions Mile again.
Mr Lan‘s grandsons Dominic and Didier have horses winning many races in LI’s family racing colors.
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