Who wins the battle of racing’s superpowers: Hong Kong or Japan?

The dominant win of Maurice in Sunday’s Mile Championship at Kyoto set up what could be a mouth-watering clash in the Hong Kong Mile: it will not only be Maurice versus Able Friend, and Ryan Moore versus Joao Moreira, but the might of the Japan Racing Association up against the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

So before the horses settle it on the track, let’s break down who has the edge in this battle of Asian racing superpowers. In the finest of Happy Lucky Dragon Win traditions, we haven’t selected serious categories – like actual horses, trainers, jockeys or even betting turnover – but the stuff we find more interesting, like silly horse names, plush horse toys, fan involvement and mascots.

FANS

Both jurisdictions boast crowd numbers that officials in the west can only dream about. But who brings the most to the table in terms of fan involvement?

The build up in the minutes before a big race in Japan has to be experienced first-hand – the slow hand claps, and the sight of 100,000-plus fans waving race books above their heads and cheering.

Punters in Hong Kong are more locked into betting – so much so that the chorus of boos when Able Friend was beaten as long odds-on favourite in the Jockey Club Mile on Saturday was far louder than the cheers would have been had he won.

Then there’s the banners. Both jurisdictions have fabulous parade rings, but here’s the key difference: in Japan, the regulars get in early and cover the outside fences in colourful signage dedicated to their favourite horse, jockey, trainer or even owners. At Sha Tin the regulars get in early to claim their “lucky” seat with a piece of newspaper and then protect it with their life.

EDGE: Both are committed in their own ways, but the Japanese fans win on account of being more unified.

RACETRACKS

The JRA has 10 tracks, with the “big four” of Tokyo, Nakayama, Kyoto and Hanshin the best of them. All are typified by spacious, fan-friendly layouts, extraordinary parade rings and also space for families to attend.

Sha Tin is a spectacular course in its own right but the ace up the Jockey Club’s sleeve is Happy Valley, which has to be the most unique major venue in world racing. Smack in the middle of the city, with towering skyscrapers surrounding it, the track is packed with racegoers each and every Wednesday night.

EDGE: Hong Kong.

STARTING PROCEDURES

Until we see HKJC starter Tony McGovern dressed in a cream suit, hoisted on a cherry picker on the back of a truck and waving a flag around his head before a race then this one is a no brainer.

EDGE: Japan.

MASCOTS, MERCHANDISE AND MARKETING

This is where things get interesting – and where the Japanese really come to the fore.

A lot can be learned from the promotion of Japanese racing. It is slicker than anywhere in the world and is far more streamlined than, Happy Wednesday aside, the HKJC’s disjointed and mainly betting-orientated efforts.

Take the recently released mobile game, “Japan Sumo Cup”, put out to promote the Japan Cup. The addictive game matches up sumo wrestlers with characters from the classic Capcom arcade game Street Fighter, riding racehorses, of course.

In opposition the HKJC has, for the umpteenth-straight year, a “puzzle game” where you attempt to piece together a photo in less than 30 seconds.

Then there is the JRA’s lynchpin of marketing – Turfy, the man-in-a-horse-suit mascot and cartoon character whose plushie likeness is handed to winning jockeys on special occasions. Hong Kong has yet to come up with an answer to the power of Turfy, who is working his way into the hearts and wallets of Japan’s younger generation of racegoers.

Plush toys have long been a bug bear for many race fans. Most feel the HKJC plushies look more like wombats, and the attention to detail on the Japanese versions – with the horse’s markings and raceday gear – is spot on. At the very least, they get the horse's colour right, which the HKJC didn't do with plushie Able Friend – the plushie is a standard brown, not Able Friend's rich chestnut colour.

Any race fan who has made a pilgrimage to a JRA racetrack “Turfy” store, leaving after maxing out a credit card with an assortment of key rings, coasters, T-shirts and Sunday Racing lycra underwear, can tell you first-hand how amazing their gift shops are.

EDGE: Japan

HORSE NAMES

Given this blog is named in honour of Hong Kong’s distinctive English horse names, this is a topic on which we are an authority.

Batting as one-two for Japan are Tagano Grandpa and Love Is Boo Shet – both pretty random.

But Hong Kong owners are something else entirely. In the last year, it seems many have stepped away from the Happy Lucky Dragon Win/Super Golden Fortune Elite template –in fact, there has been an alarming drop off in the use of Dragon and Horse in horse names. There are only 26 horses with Dragon in their names currently in training – this should be addressed immediately.

Making up for the lack of Happys and Dragons, though, some owners have attempted to add even more absurdity to proceedings. Two that come to mind are Everyday Lettuce and Unbeatable Guts.

At least owner Fung Chun-yin is staying true to the traditions of auspicious names, or maybe he is a fan of this blog, with Happy Fiery Dragon nearly ready to go to the trials for trainer Derek Cruz. .

EDGE: Perhaps we are biased, but even if we are disappointed with the level of Happys and Dragons, Hong Kong definitely win here.

VERDICT: We will let Maurice and Able Friend settle it for real on December 13, but for now it’s the JRA in front 3-2.