Nov 4, 20184 min read

IN THE CHADSTER WE TRUST AT SHA TIN TODAY

Victoria Derby Day at Flemington produced some very good winners- and rides. Hugh Bowman on Osborne Bulls. To someone on Twitter, Bulls became Balls. Which kinda makes sense.

Here comes the BULL! Osborne Bulls flashes late to score as punters celebrate. https://t.co/RHqiyS2XsK pic.twitter.com/V9zmI7qBhN — Racing.com (@Racing) November 3, 2018

There was James McDonald’s brilliant ride to win aboard Shillelagh.

This ride was soon forgotten when, as the day progressed, the usual wrath of sour grapes aimed at Jimmy Mac surfaced on the Twitter troll train. These are racing “fans”?

Shillelagh (NZ) ridden by James McDonald wins Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington Racecourse pic.twitter.com/TUyvVAKWEf — Racing Photos (@Racing__Photos) November 3, 2018

John Allen and Extra Brut took out the Derby.

The win left many thinking big. And, if only.

EXTRA BRUT stays the journey in the AAMI Victoria Derby! pic.twitter.com/F7FbGqpJdp — Racing.com (@Racing) November 3, 2018

The filly Sunlight ridden by Luke Currie made girls out of the boys.

AMAZING. Sunlight has defeated the boys in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes! pic.twitter.com/FyjckRHKfX — Racing.com (@Racing) November 3, 2018

Meanwhile, at Ascot in Perth, there were two hardly insignificant wins- Galaxy Star ridden by the man they call “the wizard”- William Pike- and Chris Parnham winning aboard the quite inspiring Dainty Tess. The latter continues to dig deep into her human resolve. And win. She’s good for racing.

DAINTY TESS – 2018 TABtouch Prince Of Wales Stakes (Group 3) @PerthRacing #WesternRacepix #WAracing #AscotGoodTimes pic.twitter.com/3AcPITbfQD — Western Racepix (@WesternRacepix) November 3, 2018

As for Galaxy Star, another from owner Bob Peters’ Willy Wonka factory of equine talent who seem to keep horse racing in Western Australia alive and kicking, well, he, not the Bobster, could be something very special.

His future exploits just might have Eastsiders- and the Australian racing media- sit up and take notice of, what is in many ways, the Rodney Dangerfield of racing Down Under. Racing in WA. It’s a good product that perhaps needs better marketing to make up for invaluable lost time.

The win of Galaxy Star to take out the Asian Beau Stakes was something worth watching. And a group of us did just that while finishing our starters at the Grand Cafe of the Grand Hyatt hotel in Hong Kong. We like to watch.

As for the racing at Sha Tin this afternoon. It’s whatever you want it to be. It’s SA SA Ladies Purse Day so expect plenty of hats and some extremely leggy beauties.

There’ll be the Hong Kong debuts this season of Silvestre de Sousa and Alexis Badel.

Plus quite a few of us trying to snag the Six Up jackpot that could reach over $6m. That’s plenty of dim sum. And more.

RACE 1

Hainan Star (6) Strathallan (1) Perfect Match (7) Let’s Come Back (4)

RACE 2

Multimillion (10) Lightning Steed (4) Nice Fandango (2) Guerdon Helmet

RACE 3

Fair Comment (14) Indigenous Star (2) Triumphal Win (7) Triumphant Light (5)

RACE 4

Savvy Seven (11) Righteous Mate (10) Absolucool (7) Let Us Win (4)

RACE 5

Follow Me (5) Precious Sweetie (13) High Rev (8) Brave Baby (6)

RACE 6

Styling City (10) Patch Baby (2) Young Legend (11) Hinchin Love (3)

RACE 7

Apparently Chad Schofield shaved his head bald to help get down to the 113 pounds needed to ride the very impressive youngster Glorious Forever.

With regular rider Zac Purton unable to make the weight even if he were to “do a Lady Godiva” and aboard elder brother Time Warp, the very much in-form Chadster, below, ended up with the plum ride.

Glorious Forever, like his brother, a freewheeling front running type, should take this out. Time Warp just might need a long rest. He seems pooped.

Pakistan Star takes his place in the same race, but there’s a pronounced silence surrounding the enigmatic one this season.

His three runs this term have been okay without being spectacular. Perhaps he’s got other things on his mind? Like tackling a slightly longer distance in December and during the Hong Kong Turf Championships during HKIR week in December rather than the 1800 metres of today’s Group Three SA SA Ladies Purse? Either that or he’s hungry for a damn good chicken curry.

Also in the same race is Eagle Way which jumped out of the ground at its last start. Visiting champion UK jockey will ride. The race is not short of an absorbing cast. Shall we dance?

Glorious Forever (8) Eagle’s Way (5) Pakistan Star (1) Gold Mount (4)

RACE 8

Irish Vega (4) Cheerful Giggles (2) Ho Ho Khan (10) Sleep Education (8)

RACE 9

Mighty Maverick (9) Diamond Rhyme (10) Alcari (7) Relentless Me (13)

RACE 10

When Harmony Hero was sold to Hong Kong interests after two impressive wins in Melbourne where he raced as Lina’s Hero, Quasimodo was ringing those bells very loudly.

Here was a future superstar of the turf. Perhaps he will be. But apart from a solitary win for The Gnasher, below with trainer Richard Gibson, Harmony Hero has been content to travel under the radar- and not at the prohibitive odds of this first few runs. Sometimes, many of us didn’t even know he ran.

He runs today with blinkers on for the first time and Matty Chadwick aboard in a very competitive but weak Class 3 race over a suitable 1400 metres. It just might be Wakey Wakey time as he is now down to a rating of 82. His last three outings read 9,4,8.