DING DONG TIPSTERS ON FIRE!
For the past few weeks now, The Big Man from The Big Apple, Third Dividend from Oz and The Fast Tracker’s observations have guided followers to some pretty big wins, so, a big Ding Dong to them! May it multiply and take over earth like any good Mars Attack.
Oh- and we repeat- we don’t accept ads from corporate bookmakers or any gambling related products- BUT, if Ferrari, Longines, Trojan, Ding Dongs, Jockey etc wish to flog their products here, no problemo.
Any idea why and how Jockey underwear got its name?
Does it have to do with a Jockey’s Ding Dongs?
STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S DING DONGS.
As expected, the John Moore-trained Able Friend won the Hong Kong Classic Mile, confirming its future as a champion miler- and what a touching and emotional tribute by owner Cornel Li to Cheryl Moore, who lost her brave fight with cancer borne with such dignity. She will be missed by many.
Meanwhile, the Mirco Demuro-ridden Blazing Speed took out the Stewards Cup in a strangely run race, the John Moore Show took centre stage with a well-executed treble, Tommy Berry gave an excellent display of competitive riding to win on Smart Forward, Joao Moreira rang up another treble, turnover was over $1.3 billion- $140 million up from the same meeting last year- Tableaux turned to merde and, well, what can we take out of the meeting?
Sure, Moore’s Designs Of Rome, especially, and, perhaps, Military Attack look primed after their runs for their real targets.
Having said this, the pre and post-race comments by John Moore about the latter galloper has us wondering if all is well between trainer, owner Stephen Lo and Zac Purton?
Time will tell about the winner of The Stewards Cup though trainer Tony “Montana” Cruz was VERY bullish about the chances of his Blazing Speed before the race, and even more bullish after the win with International plans a-go-go for the galloper.
If Cruzy were any more animated after this win, he would have been channeling James Brown and shimmying across the turf to The Godfather Of Soul’s Sex Machine while coughing and spluttering and moaning behind the barriers like one of his horses.
(Hong Kong’s Soul Brother Number 1)
As mentioned, riding honors once again went to Joao Moreira though Tommy Berry completely out-rode him in race 4.
Berry was on Moore’s Smart Forward, Moreira on the John Size-trained Access Years with the latter being the loser in the duel down the straight.
What’s also interesting to us is that after a start to the season with all guns blazing, the Size yard appears to be going through a lull with definite winners going down ‘cos of some rides that could have been better.
Sorry, but John Size without Dougie Whyte by his side is like Butch without Sundance, bangers without mash, con without carne, partners without ships, lettuce without prayers, sex without toys…
On the subject of riders, Tommy Berry will be back in Hong Kong next month on another of his smash and grab Drew BerryMoore missions, this time with designs on Rome.
BerryMoore is then in Hongkers for the long haul in April until the end of the season with Hughie Bowman, below, one of the best riders in Australia, which will only strengthen an already strong International lineup of riding talent.
Though we bid Adieu to Mosse, lover boy Umberto Rispoli, which means we won’t be seeing his lovely girlfriend Kimberley Mosse around the traps, Mirco Demuro, Weichong Marwing, Neil Callan and Nicola Penna for the rest of this season, we’re tipping that Demuro, below, will be back soon after a great start to his stint here and being much in demand by trainers and owners.
In fact, it was Blazing Speed’s owners who insisted that he ride their horse- and- BANG- look what happened.
The big question is who will fill the other slots as too many Aussie jockeys at the one time will not go down well with local punters and the Chinese racing media. Call it The Peter Miers Syndrome.
Perhaps, we might see another Brazilian jockey here while there’s always Andy Leung waiting in the wings and game for anything. And, good grief what a jockey he was!
Andy Pandy, now a racing columnist for the Hong Kong Daily News, is, whether true or not, ready to tell anyone within earshot that he’s still “training” and happy to point out which are “his” horses.
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TONIGHT’S SELECTIONS FOR HAPPY VALLEY (FROM THE THIRD DIVIDEND)
#HappyValley (HONG KONG) Wed, 22/1/14 #HValley Night Races @HKJC_Racing Turf (“C+3” Course-Worked Back Weather: Fine and very dry. It will be cold in the morning. The maximum temperature will be around 16 degrees during the day. Moderate to fresh north to northeasterly winds. Source: http://www.hko.gov.hk/contente.htm
Race 1: MURRAY HCP CL 5 1 – Spicy Shrimp (8) 2 – Flying Keeper (6) 3 – Highland Dragon (3) 4 – Mega (7)
Race 2: LAMBETH HCP CL5 1 – Ambitious Treasure (1) 2 – Good Times Roll (9) 3 – Young Happy (3) 4 – (11)marvel Plus
Race 3: ICE HOUSE HCP CL4 (SPECIAL CONDITION) 1 – The Untouchablelad (2) 2 – Speedygonzalez (8) 3 – Horse Aplenty (3) 4 – Better Announce (1)
Race 4: EDINBURGH HCP CL4 1 – Lovely Boy (2) 2 – Pearl Win (10) 3 – Fire Starter (6) 4 – Kynam (4)
Race 5 (Q1): CONNAUGHT HCP CL4 1 – One Of A Kind (1) 2 – Good Thinker (9) 3 – Jun Ju (2) 4 – Oyster (11)
Race 6 (Q2): CLUB STREET HCP CL 3 1 – Rainbow Fighter (4) 2 – Disciples Twelve (10) 3 – Cour Valant (6) 4 – Ovett (9)
Race 7 (Q3): THE HONG KONG CLUB CHALLENGE (HCP) CL2
1 – Classic Jewellery (11) 2 – Pleasure Gains (4) 3 – Albiceleste (5) 4 – Bullish Boy (10)
Race 8 (Q4): CHATER HCP CL3 1 – Royal Partner (4) 2 – Majestic Anthem (2) 3 – Jazzy Feeling (9) 4 – First Sight Love (1)
Best Bet Race 1: Spicy Shrimp (8)
Next Best Race 5: One Of A Kind (1)
Value Bet Race 2: Ambitious Treasure (1) – currently, $10.00/$3.30
Long Shot Race 6: Rainbow Fighter (4)- currently, $13.00/$3.60
Quaddie ($100 gets you 39%)
1.2.9.11 4.6.9.10 4.5.10.11 1.2.4.9
Six Up
2.3.8 2.10 1 4.6.10 11 2.4.9
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IS THERE A FUTURE TO THE DING DONG MACAU JOCKEY CLUB?
Across the great waters and in that playground of Asia that is Macau, a jockey from Queensland named Jay Edwards (?) has joined the riding ranks, but with some saying the MJC is “winding down” as its land lease ends in 2015 and word being that this land will go back to the government which, apparently, has other ideas for it.
What a bloody shame if this happens to those who still remember the bright lights, small city joy of going racing in Macau during those early days when Neil Paine, Danny Brereton, Johnny Didham, Sammy Hyland, Heffo, the very pretty Jenny Moeller, Bobby Vance, Tony Ives, Geoff Allendorf, Brent Thomson, Robbie Burke etc were riding there, Johnny Roe, Geoff Lane, George Moore etc were training, and one could always run into characters like Tony Morias and “Blackjack” while the highlights were nights out at Darling, China City and the club at the Mandarin Oriental before returning to the Hyatt Regency with a few Ruskie take-outs. Ding dong- room service, anyone?
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SELECTIONS FROM THE BIG APPLE (@SW064351)
BEST BET Race 3, No. 2 The Untouchablelad Found the line strongly in runs behind Majestic Anthem. Well placed in this.
SECOND BEST Race 8, No. 4 Royal Partner Commanding win two weeks ago. Deserved favourite and looks hard to beat.
LONGSHOT Race 4, No. 3 Tomodachi Forgive last run when caught off the track. Will press forward and make his own luck.
LAY Race 6, No. 9 Ovett Stack of speed on and was unplaced in his only attempt at this course.
QUADDIE 1,2,6,11 / 6,7,10,11 / 4,5,10,11 / 2,4,8,9. $100 for 39.06%.
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MICHAEL OWEN TO MAKE A RIGHT KENT & CURWEN OF HIMSELF ON SUNDAY.
In Hong Kong next weekend for the races will be former football star and now horse owner and rabid punter plus recently-named Asia brand ambassador for Kent & Curwen sponsors of the day’s Cup race.
One just hopes and prays that our old mate Brett “Lucky” Davis who made un grande mess of pronouncing Tableaux makes another faux pas when wrapping his lips around the words Kent and Curwen.
It could just be one of the Ding Dong highlights of the season.
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THE FAST TRACKER DING DONGS TONIGHT’S RACES.
Anyone who followed Third Dividend from Oz, backed our Man from the Big Apple’s Longshot and listened to my comments on every race would be rolling in the deep with $$$$$ like an Adele song unlike those who, again, might have thought Autumn Gold could- ding dong- suddenly sprout wings and be fleet of foot.
As usual, after actually being in the lead, the horse plodded to the line like a pricked blimp much like Young Warrior which, as the favorite, ran more like an Old Worrier and never ever raised the hopes of its owners with the Racing Club.
Looking at the race card for tonight at Happy Valley, it looks pretty tough and open while noticing that Joao Moreira doesn’t have a full book of rides- but Mirco Demuro has.
Winfull Patrol, the subject of a hugely successful betting move at its last start when ridden by Derek Leung runs tonight with Olivier Doleuze aboard.
I have no thoughts about backing the horse which will be at very short odds.
Meanwhile, Zac Purton starts a two-day suspension after this meeting and would be hoping for a happy ending tonight.
R1 Mega/Spicy Shrimp/Daily Double
A 1000m scamper on the C+3 Course and where one must follow those able to lead and drawn on the inside.
R2 Marvel Plus/Good Times Roll/Casa Junior
Pretty even race, but one which might go off at decent odds is Marvel Plus and, if his romance with racing expert Kit Lee has not taken too much outta him, Derek Leung could steer home with impassioned vigor.
R3 The Untouchable Lad/Spirit Soaring/Speedy Gonzales
A very VERY tough start to the Six Up.
An untouchable race if not for the Six Up, the best bet around.
R4 Kynam/Pearl Win/Jade Pippo/Fireststarter
A confusing race with so many question marks over many of the runners and trainer Ricky Yiu making things more confusing by giving Jade Pippa such a drastic makeover- blinkers for the first time, removed being the shadow roll, lugging bit, crossed nose band with the in-form Mirco Demuro on it for the first time. With this facelift, Jade Pippa could well be the cosmetically-challenged Bruce Jenner of racing.
R5 One Of A Kind
Dennis Yip has two runners in this with One Of A Kind ridden by Douglas Whyte and Zac Purton on Jung Ju. As long as the two “great mates” don’t get into another Dueling Banjos race of their own, this could even be the quinella. Good Thinker to upset.
R6 Ovett
With Magic Moreira on it and drawn perfectly, it should be a question of Ovett and out, baby- like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open.
R7 Albiceleste/Classic Jewellery
This is one of those races that’s part of that daft 1010 Million Challenge which no race-goer understands and where, apparently, Pleasure Gains is leading with Bullish Boy running second which means they’ll be going all out to win for their owners- the only people who benefit from this- ding dong- Challenge.
There are two runners, however, that will be at big odds and worth adding to your six up or second leg of the second Double Trio- Perfect Cheers and Fat Choy Hong Kong- though my choices are the Moore-Size pair- Albiceleste and Classic Jewellery.
R8 ROYAL PARTNER/FIRST SIGHT LOVE/ELECTRONIC FORTUNE/JAZZY FEELING
I really can’t believe that Joao Moreira has chosen Enthusiasm over First Sight Love after his win on it at its last start.
Tonight, with Mirco Demuro taking over on the top weight, it might not win- but it will end up ahead of Enthusiasm which is from a stable that’s extremely tough to follow.
BEST BET- RACE 6 OVETT (9) NEXT BEST- RACE 5 ONE OF A KIND (1) LONGSHOTS- RACE 4 JADE PIPPA (12) RACE 5 GOOD THINKER (9)
SIX UP
R3: 2-3-4-10 R4: 4-6-10-12 R5: 1 R6: 9 R7: 5-11 R8: 4-8
PARTING SHOT
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