The couple tell us about the unbeatable thrill of owning a thoroughbred, and why the Year of the Horse is set to be an auspicious one, on and off the track

Lianne and Brave Brother, photographed by Earl Wan

When a sleepless Lianne Lam lay in her North London flat in the early 1990s cursing the racket a neighbour and his friends were making, little did she know her life was about to change. She marched across the hallway to complain and was greeted by a Hongkonger with an infectious laugh and a taste for the finer things in life. He introduced himself as Matthew Lam, a fellow University of London law student, apologised for the noise and asked her to taste the Portuguese chicken stew and sweetened bean curd sheets he had cooked for his friends. Too shy to invite her to dinner, Matthew asked to borrow a cup of soy sauce the following day. Within a week they were going out, and now, 23 years later, they have one of those clearly happy marriages built on mutual respect and affection. Asked their secret, Matthew looks at his wife with a twinkle and says, “She’s the boss, ask her.” Lianne smiles and responds, “Tolerance and patience. Qualities I have much more than him. He could learn a lot from me.”

Lianne’s patience was tested during our cover shoot at the Sha Tin Racecourse stables, home to Brave Brother, the couple’s winning steed. The day was cold and blustery and Brave Brother was in a skittish mood, but Lianne, resplendent in couture by Lanvin and Dolce & Gabbana, brought a sense of calm and soothed the gelding with a few gentle strokes. Matthew, watching his wife and thoroughbred interacting serenely, beamed with pride.

Dress by Dolce & Gabbana; necklaces by David Yurman; bracelets by Cartier; watch and ring, Lam's own

Matthew’s love affair with all things equestrian began when he was a boy. “My mother is and always has been a passionate racer. When I was a child, I would stare at the framed racing pictures in our sitting room, imagining what my parents were doing at the track,” he says. “The day I turned 18, I went straight to Happy Valley to see for myself.” For the next two decades, Matthew followed the ups and downs of the racing world with a watchful eye, laying bets, joining horse-owning syndicates and making a note of promising foals. In 2007, to celebrate his new role as executive deputy chairman of the family business, Lai Sun Group, Matthew took the plunge and bought his first horse, a gelding from Australia that he aptly named Brave Kid.

Taken in hand by the successful Australian trainer John Size, Brave Kid soon put his owner’s fears to rest. He won his debut outing, a class four race, netting the Lams instant respect in the racing community and a sizeable cash prize. “It was so unexpected,” says Lianne. “I went to Sha Tin to support Matthew, hoping Brave Kid wouldn’t come last. Then, out of the blue, he won. From being vaguely interested in my husband’s passion, I was suddenly fascinated by it.”

Cost by Burberry; shirt by Hugo Boss; trousers by Roberto Cavalli; belt Lam's own

Brave Kid’s win was not just beginner’s luck. In his four-year career, he outran renowned horses and netted his owners a cool HK$5 million in prize money. “I can’t take all the credit for this, as it was a collaborative effort,” says Matthew. “We had a good broker, and our South African jockey, Douglas Whyte, is very talented. We are also lucky to live in Hong Kong. In my opinion, it’s the racing capital of Asia, thanks to the high-end courses and trainers.”

The couple made the leap from Brave Kid to Brave Brother, the current occupant of the Lam stable – a two-time winner and the star of our cover shoot. The New Zealand-born gelding is also trained by Size, who has now worked with the Lams for more than eight years. “They are good people, and they understand the turbulent nature of horse ownership, which makes my job a lot easier,” says Size during the cover shoot. The two gentlemen spent the day teasing each other and recounting their recent success in the HK$12 million Longines Hong Kong Mile, which saw Glorious Days, co-owned by Matthew and trained by Size, dash to victory, keeping the trophy in Hong Kong for the eighth straight year. “It was an amazing day,” says Matthew. “And Lianne won the Best Dressed Woman award. We drank a lot of good champagne that night to celebrate.”

To read more about what the Lams have in store for this year and how they balance it all, pick up a copy of our February issue, on newsstands now.