HONG KONG: There's a million dollar giveaway this weekend as part of the spectacular bash that will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The club has invited all of Hong Kong to come out and join the celebration Sunday. It's free. But the day will be especially memorable for one partygoer, who will walk away a millionaire. The Jockey club has taken out 45 shiny gold bars valued at HK$12.5 million which will be awarded to the holder of the winning sweepstakes ticket.

Sweepstakes is not the limit of the big event. There's also a fashion show presenting a collection of 15 classic outfits entitled "As Times Ride By". The collection is designed by the famous local designer William Tang.

There's also a grand finale variety show starring Sam Hui and Joey Yung. That will be followed by a 3-minute firework display.

In addition to the free admission. the Jockey Club is offering a 50 percent discount on food and 30 percent on beverages.

However, the biggest event of the day remains the all important deciding race, the Hong Kong Jockey Club 125th Anniversary Cup. It'll be the last race of the day Sunday. Post time is 4:35 pm. There are 14 horses in all, in the run for the Cup.

Ticket holders whose sweepstakes ticket number corresponds to the number of the winning horse will enter a lucky draw for the first prize 45 gold bars, weighing a thousand grams each. There will be a consolation prize for those whose tickets are not pulled in the big draw, a coupon worth HK$20, which is equal to the price of one ticket.

The 2.5 million tickets for the Club's 125th Anniversary Sweepstakes sold out three days before the race. Sweepstakes tickets are part of the history of horse racing in Hong Kong. Commemorative sweepstakes tickets have been issued twice since 1977, to celebrate the Millennium, and Sunday's event to celebrate the 125th anniversary.

(HK Edition 11/14/2009 page1)