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Wednesday night at Happy Valley is the 2020 LONGINES IJC meeting, with a difference, unlike any in the past and hopefully in the future due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no crowds, no boiling cauldron of atmosphere from the famous Beer Garden, less international jockeys but still a record HK$800,000 prize to be shared by the top three riders.

Happy Valley is tight, a city track surrounded by soaring towers of apartment blocks and the Hong Kong Jockey Club's headquarters, usually as night falls for the Wednesday night meeting the crowds pour in from Wan Chi, Central, Causeway Bay, everywhere in Hong Kong, and the course is alive under the lights.

Not this Wednesday. This time is will be the same as every Wednesday since Covid-19 wreaked havoc throughout the world from March. Fortunately Hong Kong racing continued without crowds as it has in Australia with strict quarantine rules allowing the industry to continue without a pause, if not considerable worry by authorities.

The international jockeys this year, William Buick, Ryan Moore, Hollie Doyle, Tom Marquand, Mickael Barzalona and Pierre-Charles Boudot, will fly into Hong Kong on Monday and live in a bubble until they leave. The only contact they will have with locals will be when they ride at Happy Valley, otherwise it is back into the bubble.

After the allocations of runners to jockeys for the four JC races on Monday Zac Purton, the 2017 winner of the HKJC, spoke about riding at the Valley without the crowds.

"It is obviously a completely different feel. One of the great things about Happy Valley is the unique environment that has been created there like with the Beer Garden and various other venues around the course. And the fact that the crowd can get so close to the track itself," he said.

"So without the crowd it is a different feel, but fundamentally it is the same once we go out onto the track and to the gates. From there on it is exactly the same and you do not notice that the crowd is not there.

"It is still a lot of fun, this competition is something to look forward to. It is a lot more even this year, the Club certainly took our concerns on board and created a platform to be able to allocate the rides in a more even manner and it appears that has worked well.

"I do not have the strongest rides that can ride some type of race to get a winner. Hopefully I can get a little bit of luck somewhere and you never know what can happen

"It is disappointing that our fans cannot be there to support us and we cannot wait for the day for the day that they can get back on track and support us. We still feel their support from social media  and when we are out in the public. Certainly they continue to get behind us and I know they miss it.

"Hopefully wherever they and whatever they are doing they can get behind the Hong Kong team and try and cheer us home," he said.

Where the Hong Kong riders of Purton, Joao Moreira, Vincent Ho, Neil Callan, Karis Teetan and Alexis Badel have an advantage is knowing every metre of the track.

"Happy Valley is a tricky track and it might take a little while until you become used to it because  turning for home is quite sharp. It is very difficult to get the horse to turn that sharp and balance it up and at the same time not lose your rhythm. You cannot waste time as it is such a short straight and in whatever time you lose the race may go to someone else. You have to be very sharp," said Moreira.

"It is tough, because any jockey that has never ridden anywhere else before wants all the information and also a ride or two to get used to the track.

"I have no doubt that local jockeys have the advantage riding day in and out and every week to see the track. But do not forget that these jockeys that are coming over here are high quality jockeys and are able to adapt very quickly.

"I would describe Happy Valley as one of the most difficult places to adapt and get used to, but I also do not want to under estimate these guys. If they have been selected it means they are good jockeys and they will no doubt try to understand it and get used the best they can," he said.

With an even allocation of runners as Purton suggested, Moreira might be right to back the local team for 2020.