After Sunday’s Magic Moreira Six Up, the Zac Attack must be champing at the bit to try and close on that yawning 30 winner lead the Brazilian ace has, and where he’s in such a race of his own that it’s a bit like watching a Roadrunner cartoon. Beep beep.
Away from winners and losers tonight, what might be worth keeping an eye on are the further on-course adventures of the town’s Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid- Douglas Whyte and Zac Purton.
On Sunday, it sure looked like there was an argy bargy going on when those two sworn enemies crossed the line and exchanged words after race five.
The Sheriff, riding Master Kochangwang was rocked and rolled in the deep like Adele being dumped again by what looked like one of Mr Toad’s Wild Rides by the Zac Attack on Super Jockey.
The money that came for it and with the win now seeing the galloper set to do battle in Dubai where almost every Hong Kong “dirt specialist” is heading, shows that Mr Toad’s Wild Ride was for a reason.
Blame those new moves on Mr Zac’s Pilates classes and workouts with personal fitness trainer Jason Cortis. Like the poet James Brown once exclaimed, “I Feel Good! Ugh!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t08ejaQqWjY
Whyte seemed to return the favour when the two bon amis clashed in the last, Dougie on The Obliterator, which ran more like The Obliterated, and Zac on Packing Llaregyb. Both looked to engage in their private duel, while Joao Moreira was left on his lonesome to find Contentment for the sixth time in the one day.
The Durban Demon and Zac Attack gunfight at High Noon aside, tonight sees the start of three consecutive Wines In The Valley Happy Wednesdays, which should be a welcome change to Whines In The Valley when the city track goes and throws up some real wobblies as it did last week.
Looking at the card, Zac appears to have a stronger book of rides than both Dougie and Moreira, but, as we all should know by now, the Magic Man can part the Red Seas, walk on water and feed the forty thousand.
With news that he will be riding Down Under in a couple of weeks when he is re-united with the Chris Waller-trained Brazen Beau, let’s never lose sight of the fact that Joao Moreira has winning in his DNA and, last Wednesday aside, rarely leaves any racetrack empty handed.
Appearances fees overseas sweeten the wins and it’s a good thing to see in-demand international riders being paid to showcase their talents. It’s one step closer to product sponsorship on a global level and which is just the next logical evolutionary step in the marketing of horse racing.
RACE 1
With an early start tonight to accompany a nine race programme, Race 1 at 6.45pm is a Class 5 scamper over 1000m on the A course that’s better sitting out and watching to see if there’s any kinda track bias- a leader’s track, horses coming off the pace, or others dropping in by parachute.
SELECTIONS: 6-5-11-8
RACE 2
This could provide Teams Purton and Fownes with another winner in the shape of the aptly named Joyeux.
On the subject of Fownes The Younger, a Well Done to SCMP racing writer Michael Cox on a well-researched and deserving piece on the respected and dignified gentleman of Hong Kong racing that is Lawrie Fownes.
QUARTET SELECTIONS: (10)-2-4-11-12
RACE 3
Don’t be surprised if another Zac Attack is launched here when he teams up with Paul O’Sullivan’s Amazing Gift and with the Kiwi trainer’s former apprentice- the very much in-form Derek Leung- coming close to the money at odds aboard Viva Guy.
SELECTION: 6-11-8-1
RACE 4
The first leg of the Six Up which, this season, has wiped out many players of this exotic bet at the first hurdle, might be easier tonight with only Yo-Yo Da, The Prince and Winning King looking to have winning chances.
SELECTIONS: 4-2-3-1
RACE 5
It’s getting a bit tedious to be repeating myself but this looks like being another Zac Attack, this time aboard the Francis Lui-trained High Chaparral.
QUARTET SELECTIONS: (1)-2-4-6-10-12
RACE 6
John Moore hasn’t used the services of Douglas Whyte for some time, and here he replaces Nash Rawiller on Grand Harbour, which is a consistent place getter that has only won once over eighteen starts. Can it win this? No, but it will run another placing and is banker material for the Quartet.
QUARTET SELECTIONS: (1)-4-5-6-7-10-12
RACE 7
This appears to be a duel to the line between Joao Moreira (Secret Command) and, yes, Zac Purton (Popping Candy).
For value in your Quartets, don’t leave out Step Faster even though it has Jacky “Yin” Tong aboard. Drawn barrier one, it can lead and hold on to be in the top four.
QUARTET SELECTIONS: (1-5)-2-6-7-9-12
RACE 8
Moreira rides one of my favourite horses- Wrath Of Fire- over its favourite distance of 1800m, but the Magic Man factor will have the ageing but very honest galloper starting below the odds.
It’s also drawn barrier one, which is a negative as the horse has always won when taken way out wide and finishing like a train from off the pace.
Though I would love to see Wrath Of Fire win, I will probably have better luck tasting some grapes of wrath at the Wines In The Valley promotion in the Beer Garden or else up at Adrenaline.
This race spells U-P-S-E-T and the Joker in the pack having the last laugh.
SELECTIONS: 3-2-6-9-12
RACE 9
If- IF- Douglas Whyte can get notorious slow starter Bespoke Collar out of those barriers and up near the leaders, this is the winner.
If- and it’s a big IF- he doesn’t, only three other horses look like taking this out- Ishvara and Golden Addiction- setting up an ending to the night featuring racing’s Three Musketeers- Athos, Portos and Aremis.
QUARTET SELECTIONS: (1-9)- 2-3-4-10-11
BEST BET: RACE 2 JOYEUX (10) NEXT BEST: RACE 7 SECRET COMMAND (5) LONGSHOT: RACE 8 RIDE WITH THE WIND (3)
SIX UP
R4: 4 R5: 1-10-12 R6: 4-7 R7: 1-5 R8: 3-4-6-9 R9: 1-4-9
PARTING SHOT
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