He’s humble, but proud, honest like Keyser Soze, sometimes an enigma like Chauncey Gardener and strong in character like- maybe- Fredo Corleone.
Though some describe him as a cat with nine lives, even Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, below, the 69 year old CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and the Cliff Richard of horse racing, must look around at the landscape around him today and hear the fat lady having whooping cough.
His has been a stellar innings at the crease full of flourishing boundaries and towering sixes, but with questions about succession plans becoming more and more persistent, and who might inherit what the enigmatic German will leave behind- and who might even want it?
Here’s our latest update on possible candidates with their odds of taking over the reins and creating a glorious new era of Hong Kong horse racing.
Carrie Lam: 16-1
The former housewife chief executive of Hong Kong and bestie with the current CEO of the HKJC who’s currently out of a gig.
Wallace Wan: 90-1
Known as SuperWan on Facebook, the Wan Man is a popular youngish horse racing fan and photographer, cook, KOL, part time guitarist and fan of the HKJC CEO and former jockey Michael Kinane.
Richard Cheung: 4-1
The one time Director of Wagering at the HKJC, the only person in the Club openly allowed to bet on the horses, and a very much trusted loyalist of the CEO, who was let go for reasons that remain a mystery.
We liked Ritchie Rich very much as what you saw is what you got- a bit of a nerd who was terrific at making turnover figures make sense, abrasive, bad tempered, someone with great intel about the workings of Citibet in the Philippines, knew those using washing machines, and someone who loved being given the job of creating merchandise for the HKJC.
Richard also saw right through Scarlette Leung, the other E.B loyalist and Executive Director of Planning, Membership and probably Haute Culture, Plumbing and, apparently, the person behind the much discussed and extremely expensive new Clubhouse at Happy Valley.
She retired rather quickly a few years ago.
Hoss: 240-1
The big man from RSN who thinks BIG, talks LOUD, and is said to have had a good look around the 16th floor of 1 Sports Road when in Hong Kong for HKIR week.
The 16th floor is from where E.B currently rules over all he sees.
The Man Called Hoss is so confident that all this will soon be his, he has apparently already asked his mates at the Tobin Brothers to decorate his office.
It’s understood that his table and lounge will be designed as a 5-star casket.
Blaine Whittaker: 18-1
He’s saxy because he blows real hard. He’s a doppelgänger for actor Tom Cruise, and having played at the Beer Garden at Happy Valley when the venue wasn’t a home for the aged and meeting place for random people, Blaine would be the perfect person to bring some bitches brew into the musical mix.
But is this enough to run and salvage the house of cards that is the HKJC?
Peter V’Landys: No odds
Once a mortal enemy of Wini for around two decades. Then, last December, they supposedly became besties. Maybe he gave the two thumbs up to the whirlpool or whatever the drowning betting pool is called. But PVL Is bigger than horse racing.
He doesn’t need it. He’s got the NRL on his mind along with retirement plans.
On a more serious note, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges is only but one man.
He’s not exactly Superman and whoever inherits whatever he leaves behind- and how many will want this inheritance?- will need a team of biblical proportions.
Finding the right teams is something being discussed by every industry that believes it has a future.
No business is about one person.
One-man teams are often those left with the sound of one hand clapping. Nothing else.
