Jan 29, 20154 min read

THE FAST TRACKER GOES LOOKING FOR MAGIC IN THE VALLEY ON HAPPY WEDNESDAY

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For weeks, a group of us have studied this photo of The Three Amigos- and for weeks have asked what on the earth Kim, Khloe and Kourtney could be doing during what appears to be a break during the filming of their “Living With Racing To Win” reality series and to write a caption for it. Below are, so far, the leading contenders for an all-expenses paid visit to the Kadoorie Farm in the New Territories.

* “Don’t look, Clint, he’s doing it again.” * “Mr Lucky needs some airing, boys”. * “Amigos, I think Mr Floppy is dead!” * “Clint, you’ll never guess where your moustache and beard is!”

UMBERTO RISPOLI MEETS HIS IDOL MICHAEL OWEN. AARON KWOK PHOTOBOMBS MOMENT.

Race 1

Local rider Howard Cheng has found it tough finding the winner’s circle since his return after spending forty days and forty nights in the wilderness for his lack of vigour when riding one of those “Jun” horses.

In this tough first race, you can have a flutter on his ride Goldweaver while making your way to the Beer Garden and seeing magicians, dancers, prancers, Blitzen, The ATV “Never Give Up” Choir and music come together and see if there’s anyone you might wish to see disappear.

SELECTIONS: 2-12-9-5

Race 2

With his Chinese nickname being “Thor, The God Of Thunder,” it stands to reason that Joao Moreira on Thor The Greatest must be one of the main chances.

SELECTIONS: 7-1-2-4

Race 3

A very open looking race and being the first leg of the Six Up, don’t ever bank on the race favourite saluting. This season, almost every first leg of the Six Up has seen favourites crash and burn while DJ Nero, below, fiddled in the Beer Garden. Why is there a bloke wearing a box on his head? He’s bringing Boxy back.

SELECTIONS: 8-6-11-1

Race 4

Trainer Chris So and jockey Brett Prebble have become quite a team and should go very close here with Win It which came a close second at its last start.

A win should compensate for the shocker of a run last Wednesday- not a Happy Wednesday for connections who were talking up another Silent Witness- of the Chris So-trained first starter Sing Sing Sing, which looked like a pony and ran like a donkey in a weak Class 4 event.

SELECTIONS: 4-5-2-7

Race 5

All Great Friends looks to be a good banker with Douglas Whyte aboard who takes over from Monsieur Mosse. Whytey might appear to be playing second fiddle to the Magic of Moreira, but, with no pressure on him these days, he keeps riding winners, and, wisely, getting on horses with Group 1 potential.

His thirteen consecutive Hong Kong jockey premiership is a record that will never be broken.

What’s left, no doubt, before embarking on a career as a trainer, is to ride as many Group 1 winners as possible and stomp on some grapes in his vineyard in Tuscany and give his mates a half-decent bottle of Whyte Red, something many have been promised for years, but with not a clink in sight. Below, the Whyte Man tries to go for a “Frankel Moment”. Corny.

SELECTIONS: 3-9-1-2

Race 6

John Moore is the master of his domain in this race with topweight Harbour Master and Sunny King, which has Nash Rawiller aboard, both quite capable of running the quinella though the Tony Cruz runner Helene Super Star with Douglas Whyte on it- what’s NOT going on with Matthew Chadwick and the Cruz yard?- could spoil the party.

Below, Cruz Control attempts a soft landing on singer Jennifer Palor who has brought a sense of style to Adrenaline now that Ben Semmens and his torn baggy blue jeans have returned to Wales.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SClawa71tc

As for Nash, known as “Fried Rice” because of his energetic shoulder movements when riding and reminiscent to local punters of all the furious stirring that goes into making chow fan in a wok, he admits to dancing like Elaine Benis from Seinfeld, whereas many think he bears an uncanny resemblance to Cosmo Kramer- The Lord of his Manor.

SELECTIONS: 4-1-5-6

Race 7

John Size races Grand Plus up a class and has given the ride to Mirco Demuro, below, who seems to have a major problemo getting his horses outta the barrierosos, post haste, something noticeable last Sunday with his ride on Super Talent, a certainty beaten, when Cisco took it walkies for way too long a time.

Over this 1000 metre sprint, The Cisco Kid- or Cantinflas- better have Grand Plus right up on the speed and not ride it as if this were a 2400 metre race. Having said all this, one doubts Grand Plus can win in what is a very open race where the luck of the draw will come into play. That and praying.

SELECTIONS: 7-1-11-3

Race 8

Soul Achiever was given a magical ride by Moreira at its last start in Shatin, and despite a class rise, looks destined for greater things- like that other thing he won on last Sunday- Able something, which we’re betting is not going to Dubai or for Sydney’s “chumpionships” despite all the vigorous campaigning. Owner Dr Cornel Li pays the bills, he calls the shots and is a staunch advocate of “What Happens In Hong Kong, Stays In Hong Kong”.

What should also be taken onboard is that the combination of the media savvy Joao Moreira and Able Friend is a marketing wet dream to attract to the races all those millions who use the racing pages for kitty litter and turn a deaf ear to a very dated horse racing media model and muddle. How this new Group 1 marquee value attraction is marketed to this untapped audience will be a game changer in the branding of the sport. Bet on it.