Followers of the Magic Man will be out in force tonight as Joao Moreira gets closer and closer to breaking Dougie Whyte’s long-standing record of riding 114 winners in a season.
The racing pundit nehrus are singing, Tonight’s The Night with the Three Amigos joining in the chorus and the Brazilian superstar as their guest on their Racing To Win spectacular, and, as always, being refreshingly candid about his chances. There’s no, “Yeeh, it should go good” from Moreira.
Like Neil “Balls Of Iron” Callan, the Zac Attack, and a very open Vincent Ho, the Magic Man doesn’t throw out weak-kneed dreckola that confuses more than illuminates.
With jockeys not allowed to tip, he does the best he can under the circumstances. It’s all a bit daft and one wonders why anyone bothers with, too often, lock, stock and non-smoking barrel interviews that are as useless as being shown trials and track work of horses that are said to have no chances.
Hello? Which Einstein comes up with these programming brainwaves? Thomas The Tank Engine? Noddy? Max Headroom?
While something has to give with the monotony of how racing is presented to the racing public in 2015- it’s no difference at all to the programming formats when talking heads Tung Biu and Carlos Wu were hosting the pre-race shows in Cantonese and Robin Parke and Lawrence Wadey were doing the same on the English Channel though there was always the excitement of “Uncle” Bill saying something totally libellous- we leave all that and wonder about the Magic Man and his new record.
Personally, I don’t think it will be tonight. It will be on the weekend and the bigger arena of Shatin. Yes, he could definitely ride a few winners and tie Whyte’s record, but hold onto your horses. Wait for the weekend.
Interestingly, and almost choreographed to complement the C’est Si Bon French promotion taking place, Gerard Mosse makes a welcome return to the saddle tonight, and it could be a bon nuit for the immensely likeable Frenchman.
All in all, it’s quite a fast-paced card with a number of sprint races and where barrier draws will come into play and some local riders we know all too well will drive their horses to the front, close their eyes, and hope for the best.
RACE 1
Monsieur Mosse has a great chance here to return to the winner’s circle immediatement aboard Manfred “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” Man’s Dashing Fortune in a race for Class 4 gallopers over a mile. Jeez, it’s hard to imagine that the rotund Manny was ever a jockey albeit a pretty bad one.
SELECTIONS: 5-10-1-9
RACE 2
Johnny Size and Moreira combine here with Chin Chun and it should go close in a field with not much depth to it.
SELECTIONS: (4)-12-9-8-5
RACE 3
The first leg of the Six Up and load up here as the first crack at this exotic bet is always plagued with upsets.
SELECTIONS: 1-9-8-2
RACE 4
This is a tough start to the Triple Trio, and when in doubt depend on Joao, but not for me- not in this race, anyway, where I’ll be taking Bornfree and Idyllic Wind as double bankers.
Both have reasonable form over course and distance- certainly stronger form than many others here- and with both having met at their last starts when Idyllic Wind won and Bornfree rattled home for fourth to be beaten a little over two lengths.
Place chances are given to Optimism, Trendiful, and, despite its wide draw, Always Wonderful. If he can have kidney stones removed on a Monday and win races on Wednesday, what’s a wide barrier draw to Zac Purton?
SUGGESTIONS (5-7)-1-2-3-8-11
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FROM THE RACING TWITTERVERSE
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RACE 5
Could Baltic Warrior be another winner for the Magic Man as he conjures up another new record- breaking Douglas Whyte’s record for the most number of winners in a season?
It could and can be taken as a double banker with Step Forward, which was beaten half-a-length at its last start over course and distances. One of these should win with place chances given to Silver Dragon, Giddy Giddy from the old firm of Size and Whyte, and two very good outsiders in No Ties and Joyful The Great.
SUGGESTIONS (1-2)-4-5-10-12
RACE 6
After watching its last win, over course and distance for Karis Teetan who retains the ride, Ruby Coast is the logical banker.
A danger- and at odds- is Generous Bobo which is to be ridden by Gerald Mosse with the great French swordsman certain to want to get back to winning races after all those months on the sidelines for his ride on Redkirk Warrior. Question: What’s happened to Redkirk Warrior, anyway?
Generous Bobo was a neck second to Supreme Flight over course and distance before, strangely, running over 1650m at its last start when, not exactly surprisingly, Bobo was more like Boo Boo and finished a distant eleventh. Merde, mes amis. It now comes back to its favoured distance where in three starts, it won once and came second another time.
SUGGESTIONS (1-6)-2-4-5-9
RACE 7
After its facile last start win and despite racing up a class, Shadowfaxe will start a short-priced favourite for the very successful Size-Moreira dream team.
It should repeat that success here with, possibly, the very speedy Brillante being the big danger. Brillante loves Happy Valley and the 1000m it tackles here. If recovered from inappetance which struck the galloper last month, it won’t surprise to see it even winning this from its favourable barrier draw of four for Alvin Ng, who, probably, rides this horse best of all.
SUGGESTIONS: (12)-2-3-7-8-10
RACE 8
It’s getting boring chanting this mantra, but for reasons no one knows, those taking Six Ups have seen the favourites crash and burn in the first and last legs- races 3 and 8.
This being race 8, I wouldn’t touch the first couple of favourites. A hunting I shall go for value- Trendy Win, and Hit A Home Run.
SUGGESTIONS 2-11-4-8-1
BEST BET R6 RUBY COAST (1) NEXT BEST R7 SHADOWFAXE LONGSHOT R8 TRENDY WIN (2)
SIX UP
R3: 1-8-9 R4: 5-7 R5: 1-2-10 R6: 1 R7: 12 R8: 2-4-11
JOAO MOREIRA SIX UP
R3: 1-9 R4: 1-2-5-7 R5: 2 R6: 1-2 R7: 12 R8: 1-2-4-8-9-10-11
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