Well, now we know that The Magic Man of Swingaborean racing- the brilliant Brazilian jockey Joao Moreira- will be riding in Hong Kong from around October, we are also realizing that Dougie Whyte might have a formidable foe in the fine art of Public Relations.
While some of us were wondering if the Whyte Man might smokum the peace pipe with trainer Tony “Millie” Millard, bury the hatchet- and not in their backs- and pick up where he left off with champion galloper Ambitious Dragon- The Magic Man had already called for the ride and looks an odds-on bet to be on the horse.
Though Zac Purton will always be here to give Whyte the competition he needs, the Aussie jockey also has his sights set on more International success.
He’s young, gifted, has itchy feet and seems to be marching to the beat of his own drummer and working to his own timetable.
He’s not the son-in-law of The Pumpa aka Jimmy Cassidy for nothing and is a white version of a Jimmy Cliff song, mon.
Not to take anything away from anyone, but Joao Moreira is hugely popular with many seriously powerful local owners, punters, the Chinese racing media and is the perfect International marquee name Hong Kong racing needs.
Hong Kong has two of the best racing tracks in the world, brilliant venues, turnover and attendance others can only dream about, great new betting innovations, the only CEO of a racing club without blinkers on and not needing a tongue tie, but with Gerard Mosse and Brett Prebble still out of town, the jockey ranks right now fall off quite perilously after the leading five names.
One could even narrow this down to the first three leading jockeys with that third place being debatable and what’s not needed is flying in tinpot replacements due to any jockey, er, shortage.
Moreira gives the HKJC a great new USP and- poof- like Michael Jackson- The Magic Has Returned and there is Star Power, something we felt was missing at Shatin yesterday other than Darren Flindell calling out that Weichong Marwing needed a can opener to get free from the can of sardines he found himself in.
“The favorite needs a can opener to get out!” is a Flindellism that will long be remembered whereas there wasn’t a can opener in sight. Marwing needed a red herring aid.
Getting back to Joao Moreira, now that Hong Kong has him- the loudest secret for a year- it brings a number of questions to the fore.
For example, who is there to ride winners for the Swingabore Turf Club? Whaaah? There are other jockeys?
Will the HKJC offer Brazilian nuts shaped as horseshoes as premiums or will there be more silly caps for all the racing aunties and uncles?
Will Happy Wednesdays include some poor blokes dressed as Brazilian Nuts and making clowns of themselves in the Beer Garden?
Seriously, we can’t wait for the magic to happen.
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