DING DONG TIPSTERS ON FIRE AGAIN!
On a night where Music Rocked The Valley and singer Ben Semmens, below, appeared outta the crowd at the Beer Garden in- POOF- true David Copperfield style- but not as creepy- and Magic Man Moreira pulled out four more rabbits from his bag of tricks, The Fast Tracker’s Longshot of the night- Fat Choy Hong Kong- came in third at over 30 to 1 and paid almost 7s to place whereas most of his comments were- ding dong- spot on- especially about last start winner Wishfull Patrol going to be a flopperoonie- it came last- though the combination of David Ferraris and a rampant Joao Joao made him eat dirt in the last.
The Third Dividend was, as usual, around the money whereas our man from The Big Apple’s Lay Of The Day- Ovett- which started favorite- didn’t salute. His lays have been getting laid quite regularly.
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STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE’S DING DONGS.
Well, Happy Wednesday was really The Joao Moreira Show as the Magic Man made almost every other jockey look like also-rans- as the Brazilian pinup boy of Hong Kong racing added more followers to his already bulging fan club. It’s become Moreiramania.
Having rung up another four winners which came desperately close to being a five-timer, Joao Moreira has given the HKJC a real ding dong crowd pleaser and attracting those who rarely come racing while also winning over those who know what makes someone a very special jockey.
Standing close to the parade ring, it was incredible seeing, sure, the racing media taking photos of Moreira, but also meeting newbies to the sport who had made the trip to Happy Valley, especially to watch the Magic Man- intrigued and impressed that he makes the sign of the cross before mounting his horses, betting on every one of his rides, delirious to have him slap their hands when returning along the rails after his wins and with flashbulbs going-a-go-go.
As someone tweeted, Joao Moreira is “Moreirus”.
This magic also rubbed off on our mate David “Darth Vader” Ferraris when- good gawd and big ding dongs- he saddled up TWO winners on the trot including the evening’s Cup race and BOUNDED up the Trainers Table. And for those wondering what that sound of breaking glass was, it was the shattering of cameras when “Darth” actually smiled- once after Neil Callan’s great ride to win on The HK Cricket Club Syndicate’s Chater Dream and then when The Magic Man levitated Enthusiasm to win the next race.
What’s also quite spooky is that our even greater mate- barrister Kevin Egan- had only recently rejoined the Hong Kong Cricket Club Racing Syndicate and, after quite a while, made a cameo appearance at the track. And what a good fung shui move it turned out to be.
Big Kev, who was the head of this racing syndicate, had to step down while fighting a conviction to “pervert the course of justice” and which, after years, he eventually won.
Who can forget that tremor felt around Hong Kong last year when Big Kev fell to the floor outside the Central Magistracy when trying to kiss the ground of freedom after his conviction was over-turned?
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SHORT CUTS AND DING DONGS…
David Raphael, below, the Engelbert Humperdink of racing who loves to hear his own dulcet tones and is manager of the Stallion Syndicate, has a VERY good boom colt in the Gerald Ryan-trained Rubik which blitzed its rivals by an eased down three lengths at Randwick yesterday…
Oh, dear, did we HAVE to hear that a certain horse owner in Hong Kong who bats for the other side wears, er, Pampers???
Oh, Brother: Macau-based trainer Gary Moore’s plans to purchase Ecuador for a Hong Kong owner bit the dust when it didn’t pass its vets test- and which we could have told the old boy, pictured below, months ago…
On the subject of Macau, the legendary Shane Dye, below, who staged a mini comeback in New Zealand a year ago is back across the great waters- and being a very astute student of form, is said to leave many tipsters in Hong Kong looking very ordinaire when it comes to picking winners.
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DIM SUM AND A DING DONG TIME AT THE BEER GARDEN!
We must thank the good people at www.dimsum.hk-com for bringing Priscilla Queen Of The Desert and some of Hong Kong’s most outré, fun and fashionable people to the Beer Garden on Happy Wednesgay. (sic)
It’s pushing the envelope like this that makes every Wednesday at the Beer Garden the most fun one can have with their clothes on- or dresses on-and where boys can be girls- in Hong Kong.
Great FUN stuff! Encore, everyone at dimsum- and here’s hoping other business partners understand the rudiments of marketing and how and why racing at Happy Valley, especially, and racing in Hong Kong, in general, is lengths ahead of other racing jurisdictions- and a sponsors wet dream.
Music Rocks The Valley with NO music company thinking of the many ways they could have benefited by being part of this three week promotion?
One word: Duh.
THE FAST TRACKER AND HIS DING DONGS FOR TODAY AT SHATIN.
This must be one of the toughest cards of the season with a very even group of horses competing in each race and the day made even harder by having three races on the- quelle horreurs-tricky all-weather surface.
Of course, all of Joao Moreira’s rides will start under the odds based on past runs, but with the popular Brazilian capable of making even slow ones suddenly fleet of foot, form goes out the window and one just cannot afford to leave the maestro out of all bets.
Moreira, who, as one trainer explained, always has an Option B and Option C as the most well-laid plans during the course of a race rarely goes according to script, seems absolutely focussed on winning the Jockey Premiership and is taking some huge strides to catch one-time tearaway leader Zac Purton who starts a two-day suspension after this meeting.
Though I am uncertain if the Magic Man will have another brace of winners this afternoon and will be betting on The Zac Attack to win the Jockeys Challenge, let the games begin…
R1 SUISSE D’OR
Two all-weather races to start off proceedings? Apart from a win bet on Suisse D’Or, thanks, but no thanks.
R2 STAR OF WAI BO/JOY TOGETHER/EL GRANDE
R3 SUPREME KING
After his very good second placing at its debut, Shatin should suit Supreme King and this should win for The Zac Attack. Worth backing purely to get down to the parade ring and watch Zac keeping himself warm. Below is a rare photo of the top hoop modeling his latest winter coat.
R4 WHY WHY
Best Bet Why Why should win this for The Snack Attack with a leg in the air.
R5 SPICY SIAM
Spicy Siam should bring up its third win in a row with the great French swordsman aboard.
The ones I wouldn’t touch in this race are last-start winner Malayan Pearl even with Mirco Demuro aboard- it’s a real plodder- and Joao Moreira’s ride Win Along- an ordinary horse that will be under the odds.
R6 TUDOS CON SUERTE/ADMIRAL LORD/PERFECT JOY
The Zac Attack gets back on Tudos Con Suerte which had polytrack form in the UK, but whether this form also works on the all-weather track here plus carrying topweight is something we’ll just have to see in a tough final leg of the Triple Trio.
Admiral Lord, Smiling Watch, Harbour Master and Perfect Joy are my top fancy Nancys. For value, I’m looking at Backbench Blues which races nearly every week- to no success- but has the talented Mirco Demuro aboard for the first time and which might make a difference.
If not, this horse is to be sacked as it’s either been a terrible purchase or else trainer Benno Yung hasn’t got to the bottom of this one as yet.
R7 GO BABY GO/EAGLE REGIMENT
The Kent & Curwen Cup and, good grief, who knew Brand Ambassador for Asia- Michael Owen- has such loyal- and relentless- fans in Hong Kong and China? He must be a right Kent & Curwen and I wait with bated breath for Brett “Lucky” Davis wrap his lips around the brand name. It could be local ‘live’ television’s watershed moment.
R8 SANTA FE SUN/YEE CHONG STAR/GOLDEN BALL
Most of the major chances have drawn out wide which makes this race one of those pin jobs though I wish Executive Mandate still raced under its original name- Doctor Funkelstein- another tongue twister for “Lucky” Davis.
R9 SEA WARRIOR/TONYBOY/PRECISION KING/MONTE COSTELLO
This is the race than can be a total wipeout and I am looking at Sea Warrior to cause an upset.
R10 SMART MAN/AEROVELOCITY/SUPER JOCKEY
My idea of a winning boxed quinella.
BEST BETS
Race 1- SUISSE D’ OR (3) RACE 4- WHY WHY (2) Race 7- GO BABY GO (5)
LONGSHOT
Race 9- SEA WARRIOR (13)
SIX UP (1)
R5: 5-7-9-12 R6: 1-2-11 R7: 5 R8: 3-5-10 R9: 13 R10: 6-11
SIX UP (2)
R5: 7 R6: 1-11 R7: 5 R8: 3-5-10 R9: 3-10-11-13 R10: 1-6-9-10-11
QUADDIE
R7: 1-3-5 R8: 3-5-10-14 R9: 3-10-11-13 R10: 1-3-6-9-10-11
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PARTING SHOT
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TODAY’S SELECTIONS FOR SHA TIN (FROM THIRD DIVIDEND)
Sha Tin (HKG) Sun, 26/1/14 Day Races @HKJC_Racing Mixed – Turf (“B+2” Course)/AWT Weather: Mainly cloudy. Visibility relatively low in some areas in the morning. Sunny periods during the day. The maximum temperature will be around 21 degrees. Moderate east to northeasterly winds. Winds will strengthen later. Source: http://www.hko.gov.hk/content
Race 1: The Lion Herald Hcp CL5 1 – Suisse D’Or (3) 2 – Criise Control (8) 3 – Buddy Watson (10) 4 – Money Win Wins (12)
Race 2: The Fields Green Hcp CL4 1 – Star Of Wai Bo (9) 2 – Joy Together (2) 3 – Thunder Flyer (5) 4 – El Grande (8)
Race 3: The House Repp Hcp CL4 1 – Supreme King (3) 2 – Naughty Boy (1) 3 – Star Of Bond (2) 4 – Graceful Kingdom (6)
Race 4: The Crest Hcp CL4 1 – Why Why (2) 2 – Medic Swordsman (1) 3 – On The Way (9) 4 – Lucky Day (3)
Race 5: The Three Lions Hcp CL4 1 – Spicy Siam (7) 2 – Namjong Turbo (13) 3 – Magnumous (2) 4 – Malayan Pearl (6)
Race 6: The Heritage Hcp CL3 1 – Perfect Joy (14) 2 – Admiral Lord (11) 3 – Harbour Master (5) 4 – Smiling Watch (2)
Race 7 (Q1): The Kent & Curwen Centenary Sprint Cup – Hong Kong Group 1 1 – Go Baby Go (5) 2 – Amber Sky (6) 3 – Eagle Regiment (1) 4 – Frederick Engels (3)
Race 8 (Q2): The Saville Row Hcp CL3 1 – Santa Fe Sun (5) 2 – Smart Ball (10) 3 – Jaeger Bomb (11) 4 – Sichuan Exec (8)
Race 9 (Q3): The Mayfair Hcp CL3 1 – Brave Brother (6) 2 – Precision King (10) 3 – Domineer (7) 4 – Grimmy (8)
Race 10 (Q4): The Surrey Hcp CL2 1 – Super Jockey (3) 2 – Aerovelocity (6) 3 – Smart Man (11) 4 – Happy Era (1)
Best Bet Race 7: Go Baby Go (5)
Next Best Race 8: Santa Fe Sun (5)
Value Bet Race 6: Perfect Joy (14) – currently, $5.80/$2.90
Long Shot Race 10: Hard Ball Get (8) – currently, $18.00/$4.30
Quaddie ($100 gets you 39%) 1.3.5.6 5.8.10.11 6.7.8.10 1.3.6.11
Six Up 7 11.14 5.6 5.10 6 3.6
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SELECTIONS FROM THE BIG APPLE (@SW064351)
BEST BET Race 10, No. 6 Aerovelocity Impressed on international day when winning in slick time. On the up and will be in the finish again.
SECOND BEST Race 8, No. 3 Yee Cheong Star Drawn well and can kick off a solid tempo. Take beating.
LONGSHOT Race 9, No. 14 Sky Far Didn’t get clear running in the straight last start. Improved showing wouldn’t surprise.
LAY Race 7, No. 6 Amber Sky Unproven in group company and meets stiff opposition here. Looks a good risk.
QUADDIE 1,5,10 / 3,5,11 / 3,6,10,11,14 / 3,6,9,11. $100 for 55.56%.
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