All kinds of stuff about horse racing, yes, but also other stuff that we find interesting and which maybe you will, too.
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The Romantic Mauritian Warrior of Positivity...Karis Teetan!
Of course, he was happy, but happiness is the sum of so many different emotions that one has to wonder what was going through Karis Teetan’s mind as he pushed and threw everything at Romantic Warrior to get him first past the line and win the BMW Hong Kong Derby yesterday.
Let’s never forget the incredible performance of California Spangle with Zac Purton aboard who made that battle to the wire the titanic duel that it became.
At a time when all of Hong Kong is angry and confused and full of fear as to what the government has planned next for the city, moments like that win help in some small way to provide some positivity. And Karis Teetan is full of positivity.
It’s there for everyone to see in everything he posts online- him exercising on his bike, showing his love for wife Xaviere, recently adopting a dog, home life, etc.
This positivity is there in that wide open and honest smile or laugh of happiness. We know it’s real. And finding things that are real and not staged are getting more and more hard to find.
Either we’ve become cynical and distrustful or we have learned to appreciate and respect what is real.
Not to sound like a Coca-Cola commercial, but the Mauritian Magician is the Real Thing. He’s the Real Deal. He’s not shy to show his feelings, which helps us to do the same.
Well, it helps me anyway to separate the wheat from the chaff and know who to trust, who to walk away from and how there’s nothing wrong in wearing your heart on your sleeve.
Thanks, Karis for all you give of your time, and congratulations on a mighty win. Buzzinga, mate! Buzzinga!!!
Though currently in Melbourne, I hope you heard me and your other supporters here riding with you and cheering you on along with Trainer Danny Shum and owner Paul Chau on.
It’s been hard work from those early days in Mauritius, then your time in South Africa before your winning introduction to Hong Kong.
You have arrived at a wonderful place in your life and career.
Use this time wisely, my friend. Enjoy it all.
It’s time to get on with living than being trapped in some “racing bubble”.
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Douglas Whyte, Fashion Plate and...Entrepreneur?
Yes, entrepreneur. But first things first...As most people in horse racing know, Douglas Whyte is and will always be associated with winning- Champion Hong Kong Jockey for thirteen consecutive years and now showing that fierce determination needed to become a champion horse trainer- and not just in Hong Kong.
Though we’re sure he would dearly love to usurp his one time erstwhile partner in that duopoly of success when a jockey- Trainer John Size- as the city’s champion trainer, we’re willing to bet that the former Durban Demon has far loftier ambitions- like training a horse to win at Ascot. Or win the Arc.
Douglas Whyte dreams big, makes kinda big things happen- in horse racing- and is happy to tell you that he can pull off wearing a rather tight double breasted salmon pink jacket that looks like something Reg Presley might have worn when lead singer with the Troggs or look like Beetlejuice.
Having said all this, the DJW brand might well have lost out on a product that could have been a huuuuuuuuuge global billion dollar hit.
He probably wants to forget all about it, but around a decade ago, Douglas and his brother-in-law in South Africa came up with the prototype for a unique portable liquid hand sanitizer that could even be worn as a fashion accessory.
Some of us were trying to help him with this product by presenting it as something that might interest the Hong Kong Jockey Club, especially for its staff at off course betting centres, all stable hands, and, of course, customers at all venues on race days.
This was long before today’s Covid-19 locked down days where people bump elbows, constantly clean already cleaned hands and probably go to sleep on beds of sanitizers.
As for the pouch that carried this liquid sanitizer, it had a slight problem. It leaked. Uh oh.
No idea if this problem was ever fixed, and which was not that different a problem to those defected specs in the movie “The Jerk” that made wearers go cross eyed.
We’re not even sure if the idea ever saw the light of day, but if marketed the way planned, and knowing now the importance of hand sanitizers, Douglas Whyte would probably be rubbing shoulders with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos et al of the likes of, well, Me, Tsui and you-know-who.
You-know-who is the genius racing executive who was quite adamant many years ago that the lyrics for a song written as a gift for Douglas Whyte should be changed from “Here comes the Durban Demon” to something, when sung, would sound like “Here comes the white man”.
It’s tough to forget doofus moments like this in Hong Kong horse racing history.
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For once and for all... Here is THE KING OF HAPPY VALLEY!!!
“The King Of Happy Valley”. It’s a headline used often when referring to trainer Caspar Fownes. We would also add “The King Of Comedy” knowing what we know about Cas and ALL the videos we receive from him.
As for being “The King Of Happy Valley”, it’s now official and a title the 54 year old Cas has taken by overthrowing the former rule of trainer John Moore.
What key is this- if we’ve got it right: Caspar Fownes has achieved this feat and number of winners eighteen years quicker than the now retired legendary trainer.
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The Return Of The Comeback Kid
Maybe it’s correct to label him “The Comeback Kid” after the horrific injury he has fought his way through, but it’s great to see Brenton Avdulla back with some Big Bang Theory and making headlines again for all the right reasons.
His win on Saturday at Rosehill on the Gary Portelli trained Fireburn was the second Golden Slipper for the Trainer-Jockey combination- two in four years.
As for Fireburn, what a filly who didn’t look any chance after running into roadblocks and being poleaxed.
Still, and somehow, she helped her pilot pull off a Lewis Hamilton as Fireburn ducked and weaved her way through traffic, found openings that weren’t there and appeared outta nowhere.
It was horse and rider in perfect harmony and a win well worth celebrating.
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Short cuts
Really? To show their absolute appreciation to all jockeys and trainers for “living” in that now infamous “racing bubble” for almost two years, the Hong Kong Jockey Club is said to have presented these good sports with a...hamper comprising...cakes.
What’s more- or less- the hampers were apparently sent on a Friday- two days before race day.
Wonder who came up with this magnanimous gesture? Any others planned? Like maybe a year’s supply of Chicken McNuggets?
Really hitting his stride: Jockey Sam Clipperton.
Apart from being a helluva nice guy, he’s always been a very good rider and is now being offered better and better rides. We’re tipping Clippo will ride a G1 winner very very soon.
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Is all okay with racing in Western Australia? Strong rumours emanating from the East that things have lost whatever zing it might have had and that it might be time to “drain the swamp”. Hmmmmm...
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Who is the jockey who a couple of weeks ago forgot that racing was on Saturday and not Sunday and went out hiking? Hint: He’s also one of the very few jockeys we know who was absolutely chuffed to receive that hamper of yummy cakes two days before the races.
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