Later about Aaron Kwok’s fairytale start to being a racehorse owner and which is something the HKJC should now be trumpeting instead of any muted messages no one hears and ignoring real priorities like this for ho-hum “racing news.” It’s Communications 101, folks and now is not the time to be shy and become wallflowers. When you have a PR coup like this handed to you on a silver platter, well, grab it, run with it and flog it to death.
At least, this occasion was not lost on the HKJC’s CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges who wrote extensively about it in his blog and what this means to the image and future of racing in Hong Kong and even from a global point of view along with something that would pique the interest of many sponsors and those new to the races. Get this straight: Horse racing needs glamour.
As for the day at the races for us, it started with the sun shining and trainers Richard Gibson and Danny Shum shone after races one and two by saddling up winners despite the heavens opening up and made things dark as arseholes we plodded through the course in our Wellingtons as thunder clapped in unison and David Ferraris looked suitably dark and rather Darth as his Dark Secret ran a shocker in Race 1 while Dougie Whyte continued to be a masochist by hopping aboard trainer Sean Woods’ horsus horribilus that is Saddlers Lodge. This horse has sucked in so many so many times and continues to suck in even more and should be barred for life.
Saddlers Lodge or Jabba The Hut?
Another thing we have found out the hard way is this: Dougie Whyte riding horses for Sean Woods never ever works out these days and with proof of this happening in Race 5 when the Whyte-Woods partnership on Bosambo made a real Kunta Kinte of itself and was scratched at the barriers. Whyte’s other Woods’ runner- Percy Jackson- made a right wally of himself by being backed- why, gawd, why? and coming almost last.
“Oh, good gawd, my ol’ Percy is killing me.” Sean Woods manages a smile.
Until then, the only ray of sunshine we had seen was the new promo spot for the Trackside team and where they sashayed towards camera in manly ways- except for Jenny Chapman- and with Brett Davies dubbed “The provident tipster.” Huh? Hell, the spot was sexy enough to have been a spot introducing those Desperate Housewives, but here housewives were replaced by some desperate tipsters.
The Trackside team with heavy makeup and a new wardrobe from Sam The Tailor.
We then watched in shock and awe as some Canto-pop band made cliché-riddled rock star poses in another of those strange HKJC promos which no one really notices as they’re of no relevance. We can only guess these are produced to show that some people are actually doing something even if they might not know what it might be. In this ham-fisted spot, the band, well, hammed it up to the cameras while whoever was filming their antics seemed to be doing somersaults.
As for the day’s races, the first was taken out by Caga Spirit, patiently ridden by the Hobbit- Little Timmy Clark and with the next won Tye Angland whom we hear has been tapped to ride at a star-studded international jockeys championship in Calcutta during the off-season. This is an event that is the brainchild of Vijay Mallya, India’s answer to Richard Branson and the billionaire who has his own airline, brought Formula 1 racing to India and is also the biggest horse owner in the country.
“Get me that Tye boy.”
We had a brief chat with Raj Kumar, that Bollywood PR man extraordinaire and here on a reconnaissance mission for Mallya, who mentioned inviting a number of other high profile local racing celebrities to the event such as- huh?- Thunderbird Captain Clint Hutchison. Whaaaaat?
Hello, I’m Clint and I LOVE a damn good curry, Mr, Mallya, SIR.”
Getting back to the races, we were happy to see Matthew Chadwick win aboard one of many horses owned by the weird Mr. Kwok Ho who bets on every horse in a race so he can say he backed the winner. Mr. Kwok Ho also doesn’t trust Aussie jockeys which is why he uses the somewhat “tepid” local jockey Terry Wong on many of his horses including Jun Dao. For a short while, we thought Mr. Kwok Ho had been given a new brain and had sacked the Wong man. Alas, the jock is suspended and so Mr. Kwok Ho had turned to Chadwick- Hong Kong born and not an Aussie though the g’day accent might be confusing. Mr. Kwok Ho remains fucking weird.
Mr. Kwok Ho and happy as hell when one of his horses popped in at over 50 to 1 and he didn’t have a cent on it as he was busy eating.
Meanwhile, with Sunday being the birthday of Brett Prebble, nearly everything he rode was backed off the map, none more so than Our Dynasty in Race 5 which was run like a greyhound race. Greyhounds or horses, it was a fabulous ride by Zac Purton on the winner of the race- the topweight Pegasus Supreme. Jeez, he is not only riding with confidence, he is, at the moment, riding better than any jockey in Hong Kong- bar none.
“Oy, like my new silks? A bit too much?”
Then came the highlight for many at the track when local heart throb Aaron Kwok caused Oooohs and Waaaahs as he entered the paddock area to watch his first horse as an owner run.
Named Calling With Love after one of his biggest hit songs and trained by Caspar Fownes, the Australian bred gelding was the second favorite in the race and won with a leg in the air and gave Brett Prebble a great birthday present and Aaron Kwok a, well, fairy tale start to being a horse owner.
As for nearly all of Shatin, many didn’t even watch the race. They were busy looking at their 50-year-old idol’s reactions.
When Aaron’s horse was running… People all looked sideways at him instead of the race
As for the race favorite Holyangelholy with the Durban Demon up, it needs an exorcist and should be re-named Unholydevil.
“He was snorting and feeling good about himself.” Jenny From The Paddock.
All in all, it was a reasonable day for some with the Trackside team’s Captain Darren Flindelll tipping the first double trio and being in fine form and with Jenny Chapman as, always, doing a great job from the paddock and tipping winners and doubles, quinellas and tierces. She really should have her own racing show for newbies which made Captain Brett Davies take the “bull by the ears” and call her tipping feat “delicious.”
Brett Davies showing how to take the bull by the ears.
Racing honours went to Zac Purton, especially for his winning ride in Race 5, Jacky Tong, Matthew Chadwick, who won the Jockeys Challenge and Tye Angland who brought home two superbly-timed winners.
“What? That skinny kid resembles me? F*** off.” Christian Bale checks out Tye Angland.
“Frankly, people say I look like Ryan Gosling.”
“Okay, maybe a little.” Christian Bale still checking out Tye Angland.
Meanwhile, Dougie Whyte took off from where he ended last night by being rolled on one favourite after another and, mercifully for his backers, managed to get a winner on the board in the last race when Voile Rouge saluted. Whew!
“Yes, yes, I got one home!”
Until then, he was not only looking winless for the day, he was also looking pointless in the Jockeys Challenge whereas $1.70 favourite to take out the Challenge- Birthday Boy Brett Prebble- managed to huff and puff and blow out just that one candle by bringing home Calling With Love.
And that was really what mattered to many at the races: Superstar Aaron Kwok leading in his first winner as a horse owner.
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