Crikey, there are so many suspensions coming and going, I half expect the HKJC to call in for replacements or dress Bill Nader and Chief Stipe Kim Kelly in silks and put them on some very large horses.
Brett Prebble is still serving out a suspension and after the January 1 meeting, I think those two Fingerers- Dougie Whyte and Zac Purton- begin their enforced holidays while some of the local boys must have already begun theirs.
As for the races, I nearly choked on my samosas when I saw that Andreas Suborics is riding a horse for John Moore. Huh?
This must be a first, surely as the very affable Suborics partners Sterling City in Race 8, a ride I would normally think would have gone to Little Timmy Clark.
But apart from riding Moore’s Sea Diamond, as I have said before, The Hobbit either seems to have been given the cold shoulder by the finicky trainer or has decided to be loyal to Richard Gibson knowing this loyalty will be repaid.
This season along with the season before saw The Hobbit win some great races for Moore with his winning ride on Destined For Glory being a personal favorite.
But this season, the team has only come together in dribs and drabs and The Hobbit being thrown the odd crumb with Moore merrier relying on Brett Prebble and Neil Callan- and, at least for Friday, Andreas Suborics and even the Zac Attack on Elegance Klammer.
What is an Elegance Klammer??? Heidi Klum??? Gwyneth Paltrow? Joan Rivers???
The card is okay without being exactly spectacular, but being the last meeting before the new year, this won’t keep local punters away.
Nor will it keep all those who know that a night out at Happy Valley Racecourse is the most fun one can have with one’s clothes on and one of the best meeting and mating places in town and with the added attraction of a race every thirty minutes.
Who to follow with racing taking place in the C+3 Course and where inside barrier draws are key?
It’s a very tight track and like most tight forms of enjoyment it pays to take it slow and watch the first two races before plunging in and shooting your load too soon through premature ejockulation.
The two mighty Fingerers have good books of rides- The Zac Attack in races 3,4,7 and 8 and The Urban Durban looking good in races 1- despite this being a horse trained by Andy Leung- plus races 4 and 6.
Sorry, but I can’t take that Bundle Of Love again- and this time drawn barrier 8 over the 1000 metres sprint whereas last time, it was drawn barrier one and seemed to plod home for second.
Apart from Zac and Dougie, I like Casa Junior in Race 1 along with Good Looking Watch, Nobody But You in Race 2 with the very much improved Keith Yeung aboard. This kid can ride.
There’s then Danzulu in Race 4 with pinup boy Umberto Rispoli aboard along with Ollie Doleuze on The Fast Lane, Rispoli again in Races 5 and 7 where Matty Chadwick is a chance on Beauty Touch, Mosse in Race 6 while Race 8 is wide open and where punters while pile in to bid Adieu- or, a-diiiiiiiuuuuuu- to 2012.
Whatever the results might be, with Adrenaline open until 1am, it promises to be a great night at the races toy see out this year with a bang. And we all need a good bang to keep going.
Happy New Year, my little papadums! Keep it crispy and not soggy!
The Guru
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