McDonald’s might claim their McFans are “lovin’ it” but that slogan should just be handed over to the HKJC where by Race 3 over 53,000 racing fans had made the pilgrimage to Shatin for the opening day of the new season.
(Source: HKJC)
At the end of the day, that number had swelled to 61,400, the highest attendance in twenty years and when there wasn’t the many ways to watch the sport today, a turnover of $1.34 billion, another 20-year high and with the only thing missing being The Beatles singing how it was twenty years ago/and Sgt Pepper’s taught the band to play while introducing Billy Shears.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gwg_d3XZ5A
As if going according to a Hollywood script, the opening race- a lowly class 5 event- was won by the combination of new boy Karis Teetan on the David Ferraris-trained Amazing Always. Frankly, we had no idea the horse even existed.
(Source: Apple Daily)
23-year-old Teetan is the new jockey we have been banging on about as being the new talent to watch out for this season and he didn’t let anyone down, displaying that strong upper body strength that’s such a trademark of South African riders. Karis Teetan WILL make his mark on Hong Kong racing.
(Source: Apple Daily)
So by the end of race 1, the leading jockey in Hong Kong was Karis Teetan and the leading trainer was David “Darth Vadar” Ferraris.
“Darth”, who has had to endure his own annus bloody horrible for the past few seasons, is said to have been so moved, he fainted when told of this watershed moment.
(Source: Zaza Bong)
As the day progressed, the Zac Attack took out the SAR Chief Executive Cup on the Derek Cruz-trained Cerise Cherry and who,mercifully, didn’t show up to present the Cup.
(Source: HKJC)
The Chief Executive- CY Leung- not the most popular man in Hong Kong, would have been greeted by the typical local spray of “diiiiiuuuu lays” and things might have turned ugly and into Occupy Shatin.
Carrie Lam represented this hugely unpopular government and only received a polite spray while handing out the various Cups and receiving wet kisses from Zac Purton.
(Source: HKJC)
By the end of Race 6, the “bromance” of Zac Purton and “old codger” Dougie Whyte had blossomed even more with each having ridden a winner apiece whereas Tony Cruz had trained a double and seven-pound claiming apprentice Dicky “Louie” Lui, who is improving every race day, had ridden a double.
His winning ride on Atax- the owner can’t spell- was clever and where he took the horse to the middle of the track where the going was better.
(Source: Apple Daily)
Despite riding a winner by then, Matty “Bus Uncle” Chadwick still looked as if he had swallowed a turd, Jenny Chapman talked about roarers, snorters and some big stallion being gelded whereas punters can look forward to attacking the Triple Trip jackpot next weekend with renewed gusto as there will be jackpot of around $29m carried over. Not a bad chunk of change to attack.
(Source: Apple Daily)
Cruz Control racked up his third winner of the day when Matty Chadwick toyed with the opposition on Beauty Sparkle which won like a very VERY good horse.
(Source: Apple Daily)
It was a cool ride by Chadwick despite dropping a rein during the course of the race.
Perhaps relieved by it all, the jockey sure surprised us by kinda smiling, throwing his goggles into the crowd and giving the thumbs up to the Bus Uncles gathered in the front of the Public area. It was moving stuff.
(Source: Apple Daily)
Smart Volatility, a new acquisition for the Francis Lui yard following the retirement of Peter Ng was very impressive when taking out Race 8 whereas hotpot Dining Star looked if it might need a new maitre’d.
(Source: Apple Daily)
It was never ever gonna do anything and Zac Purton’s humming and hawing interview with Clint Hutchison on Racing To Win co-hosted with the other Goodfellas- they have ditched the Hello, Sailor outfits this season-was the lead we needed to take the horse off our Six Up menu.
(Source: Even Tbrite)
As for Smart Volatility, we’re still unsure if that was Keith Yeung’s best ride- he looked a touch wobbly at one stage- but, hey, the horse won and it was good to see its regular jockey- Howard Cheng who is still on the injured list- at the track and in the winning photo.
(Source: Apple Daily)
In Race 9, the plunge on Jun Gong came off and brought up the first winner of the new season for trainer Dennis Yip and Tye Angland.
(Source: Apple Daily)
The ride of Keith Yeung on Smiling Watch? Myeh. It was Brain Freeze time. This talented kid was riding far better two seasons ago and seems to now be going backwards.
The last race was taking out by Fair Trade, owned by Tony Stradmore, not an easy horse to train and a welcome win for owner, Caspar Fownes and brought up a double- and The Jockeys Challenge for Zac Purton who gave the topweight a perfect ride.
(Source: Apple Daily)
This horse could have been anything but has been plagued with so more career setbacks than Mike Tyson and all credit to Cas for being so patient with Fair Trade.
(Source: Apple Daily)
As for the Stewards report, what popped out was the mention of substantial blood in the trachea of the controversial Ricky Yiu-trained Yat Ding Win, the red hot favorite in Race 2- for the second time.
Enough is Enough and the Yiu man has to finally be held culpable for a few things that have had a cloud over this particular horse that should be renamed Ding Dong Dong.
(Source: Today UCLA)
Meanwhile, new boy Nico Pinna was questioned how his ride on Mega which was drawn barrier two, ended up three wide.
Mama mia, perhaps an Italian Mr Bean was doing the steering?
(Source: Image Shack)
Next stop: The Happy Valley Racecourse, another Triple Trio and Six Up Bonus to attack, some great ‘live’ music, more racing, up close and personal, brilliant eye candy and new friends to meet and another Woohoo Happy Wednesday Night- before, during and after the races. Giddy up, ladies.
Comments