KUALA LUMPUR, 4 August – If you are looking for a place to chill out in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, head on over to the HEST, the latest Bar & Kitchen restaurant located at the Selangor Turf Club in Sungei Besi.

The restaurant recently had its grand opening featuring lion dance performance accompanied by the sounds of beating drums, cymbals and gongs to usher in good luck and good fortune to its auspicious opening. This was followed by ribbon cutting ceremony by Chairman of Selangor Turf Club, Tan Sri Datuk Richard Cham accompanied by flamboyant Australian Jockey Noel Callow or better known as ‘King’ Callow in the Malaysian racing circuit and the Sales Director of Carlsberg Malaysia, Mr Gary Tan Sim Huan.

Known as the first and only racetrack bar in Kuala Lumpur, the HEST aims to redefine premium dining and leisure for the younger generation to enjoy while having fun with horse racing sports. Located at Level 1, beside the concourse area, the HEST presents a unique dining adventure overlooking the 2,000 meters of the picturesque turf.

With seating capacity of 250 people, the HEST offers a spectacular view of the races as racing fans can enjoy the High Definition LED screens fitted in this restaurant. In addition, racing fans in their comfort can place their bets within an easy reach.

If you have never watch horse racing before, a visit to the HEST will definitely expose you to the world of horse racing including the thrills and spills it has got to offer. The invited guests of 260 people that attended the opening had a wonderful afternoon cheering for their favourite horses as they cross the finishing line. What could be more fun than celebrating the win while having a good time with a cool glass of Carlsberg beer.

Being a racetrack front bar, patrons to the restaurant could witness the fiery battle while listening to the thundering sound of hooves as horses gallop in full bounding strides heading for home to emerge winner. The whole excitement and the graphics of that moment makes one have goose bumps when they watch the horses at closed range from the HEST.

The Chairman of Selangor Turf Club, Tan Sri Datuk Richard Cham said, the HEST is developed as part of the three-year term race sponsorship agreement entered by the Club with the country’s most preferred beer brand, Carlsberg in 2012. HEST, (pronounced “Hist”) is a Danish word for Horse, and was chosen to reflect the strong partnership between the Selangor Turf Club and Carlsberg Malaysia.

He further informed that, horse racing is a popular equestrian sport enjoyed by people in many parts of the world. Moreover, the Club is conscious of the growing trend that the younger generation is constantly looking for a cozy and comfortable venue for them to chill-out while delighting in their favourite pastime.

Since the introduction of Carlsberg Cup Challenge in 2012, Carlsberg beer, the country’s most preferred beer brand, has successfully embraced the heart of horse racing fans and widely sampled by spectators of SLTC, be it at the VIP Lounge or at other refreshments areas.

Also present at the event were Mr Henrik Juel Andersen, Managing Director of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad, Marketing Director of Carlsberg Malaysia, Ms Juliet Yap, and Supply Chain Director of Carlsberg Malaysia, Mr Kristian Dahl. Mr Henrik Juel Andersen presented the prizes to the winning connections of the 1st leg of the 2013 Carlsberg Cup race.

Offering a total prize money of RM495,000, the 2013 Carlsberg Challenge Series will consist of three races with the 1st Leg, set at a distance of 1,200 metres that was won by Dark Matter from the Hippocrates Stable. The 2nd leg is set at a distance of 1400 metres and has been scheduled on September 15, while the final race, the 1600 metres Carlsberg Cup will be held on October 19.

The first and second leg will be paying RM125,000 each while the best of the best will converge for the final leg that carries a prize money of RM175,000. The horse that accumulates the highest points will be declared as the Champion Horse and will be awarded a bonus of RM20,000. An additional bonus of RM50,000 will be awarded to the single horse that captures all three races. The paid out bonuses are to be shared between the winning owner and trainer on the ratio of 80% to Horse Owner and 20% to the Trainer