It’s the final day of Oktoberfest at Happy Valley tonight which means that the wieners and sauerkraut will be going faster than most of the horses.
Racing is on the C course and which usually means favoring horses drawn on the inside and with jockeys intent on leading at all costs which will no doubt mean a seven-pound claiming apprentice like Alvin “The Chipmunk” Ng riding like a cowboy possessed on his- gawd forbid- six rides on the eight card programme.
Alvin?
On Sunday, he showed that he is actually improving by winning on The Secret Of Winning which ran all the others off their legs and he will no doubt repeat his Roadrunner plan on Sunshine Kid in race 3- a bit of a non-winner, but now with seven pounds off its back and drawn reasonably well- Real Generous in the night’s staying event over 2200 metres and where these tear away tactics can come undone, Costa Del Sol in Race 7- possibly a place chance along with Sea The Pearls in Race 8. The Chipmunk rides the last three for his boss trainer Dennis Yippie Ki Yay and I doubt they are just going around to get a drop in the ratings. They are also well drawn and should be included in all exotic bets.
Amongst the senior jockeys, the Zac Attack hasn’t fared well with the barrier draws with quite a number of his rides drawn out in the boonies. He’ll need all his navigational skills to be on red alert but the way he is riding these days, bad barrier draws might not be any hurdle. Though I might not take him on a win line, I will take his rides in races 1,3,5,6 and 7 in all exotic bets. Were those every race on the card? Hell, I’d also bang him into the last where he rides the disappointing Kick Serve.
“Oy, bud, can you make a mistake and put me into barrier one?”
No, wait; I won’t -not when up against Cape Canaveral, Tour De Force, Best Win which is one of my favourite horses though possibly needing further than the 1200 metres it tackles but Caspar Fownes doesn’t put Brett Prebble on his horses for fun and Prebble is riding to win these days- not, of course, that he ever wasn’t. I reckon this is a good thing but might start under the odds if, as many predict, Prebble kicks in a few winners early on in the night.
The Caspar-Brett Man Crush goes on unabated.
There is also Bolero in the same race which returns to racing after something like twenty months off the scene and has Texas Terry CW Wong aboard . Still, the Canton Cowboy has surprised many this season by riding well enough to steer a few home. He has to cos if not, his riding license might be in jeopardy.
Texas Terry Wong?
As for Zac Man, he is riding like confidence personified. And which leads me to my mate Dougie Whyte who is having a bit of a Whytewash on favourites..
Yes, the man crush continues and what many forget is that punters create the odds and very often his horses go out at ridiculously low odds.
On Sunday, for example, a goat like Golden Bauhinia jumped at around 4s when it should have been at around 7s. Whyte WILL come back with a bang as hell hath no fury or is more lethal than a Durban Demon scorned or written off.
Dougie???
Let’s never forget him making up a FIFTEEN win gap to take away the jockeys championship a few years back from the jaws of defeat and the chattering teeth of Brett Prebble. I don’t think Prebble ever recovered and which one hears has made him a more mellow man while he and John Moore carry on with their game of tag and the savvy trainer knowing that no one is irreplaceable.
Dougie???
As for Dougie Whyte, he has chances throughout the night, but especially in races 1,2,4,6 and 8 though in the last, his Tour De Force is drawn barrier 10, will start unders and might be kept wide, lose heart, build up its appetite and go in search for his McNuggets. Not one for me tonight but one for Shatin at 1400 metres.
He also rides two new ones for John Size and which could be going around the tight Happy Valley track for “educational purposes” before being unleashed at Shatin.
It’s a set programme that has always worked for this trainer-jockey combination before, so why stop now?
Size matters as the other man crush continues.
Having said this, first starter Happy Era in Race 4 has trialed well and looks set for this race with Heco Rider, the weirdly named Oyster, Well Done- in form and badly drawn in barrier ten- and perhaps Cheers Victories worthy of a second look.
“Love your hair.” “Love your soft hands massaging my back.” “The cameras are on us.”
Elsewhere on the card, I really will try to Forgive and Forget and follow the horse again in Race 7 and where Howard Cheng replaces Colorado Eddie Lai who tried to take it down to Tombstone the last time it ran. It was a shocking ride and I can only guess that the owners have asked Colorado to ride off into the sunset. I will be including Circuit Star, Hollywood Kiss and Victor Delight as quinella chances.
Others that stand out for me tomorrow include Diamond Angel in Race 2 and which could see a Prebble-Whyte quinella, Prebble again in Race 5 on Super Tiger for David Hall while in the distance race it will all come down to tactics. If tactic were not to come into play, I would banker The Chipmunk on Real Generous, but he just might shoot his load too early and so I would rather box his ride with Victory Mascot, Fun Heroes and The Hobbit on Eagles Spirit.
Opening soon: Little Timmy Clark’s new theme park.
With there being a whopping Six Up Bonus to win, there must be at least two flies in the ointment to make any “logical” bet go tits up and my feeling is that this might take place in Races 3 where I don’t have a clue about what could win and Race 4- just in case Dougie Whyte’s Happy Era becomes Unhappily Eerie.
In the meantime, pass me the papadums, shake, shake, shake that brinjal money maker and head towards the Valley Of The Dhal.
The Guru
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Race 1 result: 1st – Sabina; 2nd – Top Power; 3rd – Mount Victory
Race 2 result: 1st – Just Good; 2nd – Shanghai Pioneer; 3rd – Viva Dolphin
Race 3 result: 1st – Silver Dragon; 2nd – Pure Force; 3rd – Make it
Race 4 result: 1st – Happy Era; 2nd – Oyster; 3rd – Bless Us All
Race 5 result: 1st – Real Dragon; 2nd – Super Tiger; 3rd – Good Thinker
Race 6 result: 1st – Endowing; 2nd – Regency Winner; 3rd – Victory Mascot
Race 7 result: 1st – Victor Delight; 2nd – Classic Jewellery; 3rd – Good Luck Win
Race 8 result: 1st – Best Win; 2nd – Cape Canaveral; 3rd – Kick Serve
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