"Me? Heh, forget it. I'm used to the changing seasons in the mainland. If I were to live in Guangdong for an extended period, I definitely wouldn't be able to adapt..."
Zhuang Rui smiled upon hearing this and continued, "Besides, I won't have much to do with the company in a while, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to take the house. Never mind, I'll talk to Fourth Aunt later..."
Mr. Chen was a very composed person. Although he was surprised to hear Zhuang Rui's words, he didn't say anything and introduced Zhuang Rui to him again.
After settling his family in, Zhuang Rui invited President Chen to sit in the living room. He wanted to ask about the specifics of the horse racing betting and the arrangements for the next few days.
"These three villas, along with those casino clubs in front, must have cost a considerable amount of money, right?"
Although Zhuang Rui is one of the company's major shareholders, he has never exercised his shareholder rights, and he has never even seriously looked at the company's financial statements. His understanding of the company is definitely not as good as that of the General Manager Chen in front of him.
"Mr. Zhuang, these three villas are all built with the finest Canadian logs, and each one cost approximately one million US dollars. As for the hotel and casino in front, the total investment is probably in the billions of US dollars..."
Chen Xiaojun was just a casino manager and wasn't very clear about the cost of building this place. Of course, that alone was enough to make Zhuang Rui gasp. They hadn't even earned a penny yet, but they had already thrown in billions of dollars.
It's likely that only the gambling industry, besides arms dealers, has this kind of audacity worldwide. Wherever there are people, there will be gambling. If managed properly, an investment of several billion dollars can be recouped in just a few years. Keep in mind that the gambling industry can generate hundreds of billions of dollars in profit every year.
However, Zhuang Rui did not regret his choice at all. He did not want to get involved in this industry, and even if there were great benefits, Zhuang Rui would not hesitate in the slightest.
"Mr. Chen, what are the arrangements for the horse race the day after tomorrow? Which track will my horse run on? What are the organizers' opinions on my requests?"
Unlike blatant gambling, Zhuang Rui was fascinated by the speed and competition of horse racing at Happy Valley in Hong Kong the day before yesterday, and he was looking forward to the races this weekend.
Furthermore, Zhuang Rui had made a request: to let Zhui Feng race twice in the weekend's races. This was unprecedented in the horse racing world, and Zhuang Rui didn't know if the bigwigs on the board of directors of the Jockey Club would agree.
“Mr. Zhuang, I was just about to tell you about this. Fourth Madam asked me to tell you that your request has been granted.”
"That's what Mr. Chen replied."
Zhuang Rui was delighted upon hearing this and asked, "Oh? How are the match schedule arranged?"
"Mr. Zhuang, in order to ensure your racehorse gets sufficient rest, the organizing committee has made some changes to the race schedule. Your horse will compete in the second and final races, which will guarantee it more rest time..."
"Hmm? Then why not the first match?"
Zhuang Rui had some doubts. A match is usually held almost 30 minutes apart, so playing one match earlier would mean having 30 extra minutes.
Chen Xiaojun smiled upon hearing this: "President Zhuang, it's like this, the first race is a warm-up race, and the horses participating aren't very well-known, so..."
After listening to Chen Xiaojun's explanation, Zhuang Rui finally understood that horse racing was similar to some other human competitive sports.
Just like in a world boxing championship, there are usually one or two preliminary matches before the two champions fight, where some less famous fighters are invited to give a performance.
Zhuang Rui nodded and said, "Okay, I'll take Zhuifeng there tomorrow to get used to the venue. You can make the arrangements then..."
After agreeing, Chen Xiaojun took his leave. With the company's opening imminent, he was incredibly busy. If he hadn't turned off his phone while receiving Zhuang Rui, he probably wouldn't have even had a chance to speak with him earlier. ...
Macau's two most developed industries are gambling and prostitution, but Zhuang Rui had no interest in either. He returned to the cruise ship early the next morning, intending to take Zhui Feng to the competition venue to get used to it.
The main reason is that Zhuang Rui hasn't had the chance to ride the Chasing Wind for several days and enjoy the feeling of speed. Now that he has the opportunity, of course he wants to go for a ride.
Led by Mr. Chen, Zhuang Rui and his group drove to the Macau Jockey Club. Before they even got out of the car, Zhuang Rui saw a four-faced Buddha in the square outside the racecourse.
"These people from Guangdong are really superstitious..."
Due to his profession, Zhuang Rui is quite knowledgeable about Buddhism and Taoism. He knows that in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, the Four-Faced Buddha is considered to be a god with boundless magical power who controls worldly wealth and prosperity, and can be seen on many occasions.
"Hehe, this was specially brought in from Thailand by the Macau side, and it's said it cost a lot of money..."
Chen Xiaojun smiled and explained to Zhuang Rui as he drove the car into the racetrack.
The Macau Jockey Club was originally a carriage racetrack, which was converted into a flat racetrack in 1987. Although it is not as good as the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the track and facilities have reached international standards.
After waiting inside the racecourse for a while, the special vehicle used to transport Zhui Feng also drove in. After Zhui Feng was led out of the vehicle, Zhuang Rui and his group arrived at the racecourse track.
A standard international racecourse is not just about having a few tracks; it also needs a well-equipped training ground. Right now, many horses are being trained here in preparation for tomorrow's race.
As soon as Zhuang Rui and his group entered the arena, they attracted a lot of attention. There was no way around it; Zhui Feng's appearance was just too eye-catching. In terms of height alone, it was nearly 20 to 30 centimeters taller than those large thoroughbreds.
"Xiao Zhuang, you're here too. Tsk tsk, this is a fine horse. It's a pity the training started so late..."
To Zhuang Rui's surprise, Dr. Shu Wen was also at the horse farm. Unlike his usual well-dressed appearance, Dr. Shu Wen, with his white hair, was dressed in a riding outfit and looked like an old cowboy from the American West.
Chapter 1218 Horse Racing Betting (Part 4)
Although Zhuang Rui's Chasing Wind has a very good appearance, Dr. Shu Wen is still not very optimistic about this horse. The reason is simple: Chasing Wind has passed the best time for racing training and cannot compete with those thoroughbreds in a short distance.
"Dr. Shu Wen, you can only know if a horse is good or bad after it runs. Is this the horse you're using for this competition?"
Zhuang Rui smiled upon hearing this, deciding not to engage in any further verbal sparring. He believed that actions speak louder than words, and at that moment, Zhuang Rui focused his attention on the thoroughbred horse following behind Shu Wen.
The horse was about 1.7 meters tall, with a deep red coat that was smooth and glossy like silk. Its back was straight and its lines were very beautiful. Although Zhuang Rui did not know much about judging horses, he could tell that this horse was extraordinary.
Dr. Shu Wen turned around and stroked the horse's back and neck with his hand, saying proudly, "Yes, this horse is called Rocket. It is a descendant of a Thoroughbred among the British Royal Horses. Its lineage can be traced back two hundred years, making it one of the noblest horses in the world..."
It's not just purebred dogs that require pedigree; the lineage of horses is even more strictly defined. The longer a thoroughbred has been passed down, the more expensive it becomes, and even if you have the money, you might not be able to buy one.
Because of his good relationship with the British royal family, Shu Wen was able to purchase one, but it cost him tens of millions of dollars, which was equivalent to the price of a luxury private jet.
"Hehe, Rocket, a very good name..."
Upon hearing the horse's English name, Zhuang Rui smiled noncommittally. Translated into Chinese, it meant "rocket," indicating just how fast the horse was.
While Zhuang Rui and Dr. Shu Wen were chatting, several more people entered the horse farm, each with a jockey leading a horse behind them.
Zhuang Rui looked closely and saw that in addition to Guo Daheng, Li Ka-shing had also come. However, although they were dressed in casual sportswear, they were not dressed as riders like Dr. Shu Wen.
"Little guy, you're here too. Tsk tsk, seeing your horse, I could throw mine away..."
Guo Daheng's voice could be heard from a great distance.
"Hehe, old man, how about we have a race?"
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this. Compared to the gloomy gambling king, he had a better impression of this straightforward old man.
"Forget it, I haven't ridden a horse in over ten years. My old bones can't handle the bumpy ride anymore..."
Even business tycoons like Guo Daheng have to bow their heads before the passage of time. Not to mention people like them, even someone as powerful as Genghis Khan, who conquered a vast empire on horseback, eventually could no longer ride his beloved horse.
"By the way, young man, have you chosen the jockey for tomorrow's race?"
Standing next to Guo Daheng, Li Ka-shing asked Zhuang Rui with concern, as he, like Guo Daheng, had placed his heavy bets on Zhuang Rui.
Zhuang Rui smiled and brought Timur over, saying, "My sworn brother Timur will be the rider; he's a famous rider on the great grasslands..."
"He's a jockey?"
After Li Ka-shing and Guo Daheng sized Timur up and down, strange expressions appeared on their faces, and they stood there looking at each other in bewilderment.
"What's wrong? Gentlemen, Timur's horsemanship is far superior to mine..."
Although neither of the two elderly men said much, Zhuang Rui could see a look of disapproval on Dr. Shu Wen's face. Clearly, they did not think much of Timur.
"Ahem, young man, the jockey is very important for horse racing. This young man is quite good, but he's a bit too tall..."
Given Guo Daheng's age, status, and position, he and his associates naturally didn't need to hold back when speaking to Zhuang Rui, and directly voiced their concerns.
Moreover, after seeing Timur, both of the Chinese business tycoons began to waver in their previous decisions. With someone like Timur as the jockey, Zhuang Rui's chances of winning became even smaller.
It's important to understand that speed horse racing aims to unleash the horse's maximum potential in the shortest amount of time, which requires the horse to be as lightly loaded as possible. Therefore, speed horse jockeys are generally under 1.7 meters tall.
Timur's imposing physique, standing over 1.8 meters tall and weighing nearly 200 pounds, was extremely rare even among jockeys in fancy horse racing.
The horses used in speed races are not Mongolian horses, but extremely expensive thoroughbreds. A person riding such a horse can have a decisive impact on the outcome of the race.
Moreover, being able to ride and understand horses does not necessarily make one a good jockey. In the world of horse racing, the spotlight of jockeys may be overshadowed by famous horses, but behind their success lies a great deal of training and hard work.
To become a qualified rider and achieve perfect harmony between rider and horse, you must first become good friends with your horse, understand its habits, diet, preferences, and even synchronize your biological clock with itss.
A good jockey requires strict mental and physical qualities. For example, when riding a horse and galloping across the land, he must control the jolts on the horse's back and the strength of his legs. Even the amount of bread he eats and the amount of milk he drinks are subject to certain rules.
A famous jockey once said: It took me three months to learn how to sit on a horse, three months to learn how to hold the stirrups steady, and another three months to overcome the soreness in my legs after riding a lap.
Although Timur lived on the grasslands and had been with horses since childhood, Guo Daheng and the others could tell that Zhuifeng was not familiar with him, which was one of the reasons why they did not think highly of Timur.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'What did they say?'"
Timur couldn't quite understand the Cantonese-accented Mandarin spoken by Guo Daheng and the others, but he could tell that they seemed to be talking about him.
"Timur Anda, it's nothing. They just want to see how you look on horseback. Why don't you ride the Wind Chaser for a spin?"
Zhuang Rui dared not tell Timur the truth, otherwise, once the temper of the grassland men flared up, they would not care about the noble status of these old men in front of them, and might give them a hard time on the spot.
"Okay, I've been wanting to ride the Wind Chaser for a long time..."
Timur didn't have many thoughts on that. He was overjoyed after hearing Zhuang Rui's words. He had been eyeing Zhui Feng for a long time, but Zhui Feng never listened to him. It was only yesterday that Zhuang Rui did a lot of work on Zhui Feng, which finally allowed Timur to ride on his back.
As Zhuang Rui handed the reins to Timur, he leaned close to Timur's ear and whispered, "Brother Timur, don't speed up later. Try to go slowly so they don't see through our disguise..."
"Hehe, I know, I'll make sure they're pleasantly surprised tomorrow..."
Timur smiled upon hearing this, and without even stepping into the stirrups, he simply wrapped his arm around Zhuifeng's neck with one hand, leaped onto the horse's back, and Zhuifeng stood steadily in place without even swaying.
"good!"
"Not bad, excellent riding skills..."
Timur's agile movements as he mounted his horse drew loud praise from the onlookers. His height of over 1.8 meters and his nimble movements gave the elderly men a little confidence in him.
Dr. Shu Wen, who was standing to the side, frowned steadily after seeing this scene. He noticed something in the actions that Guo Daheng and the others had not observed.
Timur's horsemanship was superb, that goes without saying, but Dr. Shuwen valued more the physique of Chasing Wind. A person weighing nearly 200 pounds could mount the horse without swaying at all, which showed that Chasing Wind had great strength, far beyond that of ordinary horses.
A horse's strength often translates to greater explosive power, which is exactly what short-distance speed horse racing aims for. This scene made Dr. Shu Wen feel a little uneasy. Could it be that he was going to lose to this amazing kid again?
"Oh, oh, whoosh, giddy up!"
While Shu Wen was deep in thought, Timur had already spurred his horse and galloped off. He didn't need to do anything; he simply gave a few simple commands, and Zhui Feng rode onto the track on his own.
"Like a bell!"
At this moment, on the racetrack, there were still three or five horses doing acclimatization training. Zhui Feng let out a long neigh, which echoed throughout the entire racetrack, startling all the horses into turning around.
"Hey, can't you run a little slower?"
When Zhuang Rui saw the scene on the track, he couldn't help but secretly groan. He had just given Timur some instructions, and this guy had already forgotten what he said?
Like a flash of lightning, Timur rode Chase Wind past several horses one after another. To onlookers, it looked as if Timur was pushing Chase Wind to its maximum speed.
But only Timur knew that, thank goodness, after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, he kept pulling back the reins, trying to limit Zhui Feng's speed and not reveal Zhui Feng's strength too early.
But having grown up chasing the wind on the vast grasslands, it always maintained the pride of a horse king. It absolutely would not allow any horse to run ahead of it, so it ignored Timur's actions and quickly left the other horses behind.
Fortunately, after overtaking a few horses, Chasing Wind slowed down immediately. Moreover, Timur riding on its back made it feel somewhat uncomfortable, causing it to twist its neck and sneeze repeatedly.