Everyone is a genius and so, being surrounded by great minds mass debating about Wednesday night’s races at Happy Valley, I was bombarded by the question as to why the Triple Trio couldn’t have been made up of three legs of the Longines International Championship.
Who knows and who cares and as I don’t get paid the big bucks to think about things like this. I just know that the racing will be top class, I get to see my favorite jockey in action- Olivier Peslier- and will be cheering on my good mate Dougie Whyte, this season’s brilliant success story in Zac Purton and singer-songwriter Ali McGuirk who’ll be performing at The Beer Garden. In fact, I’ll most likely be cheering the loudest for Ali as this is keeping with my life’s priorities.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhIr7Jip6R0
And right here and now, here’s hoping that something small but important- and sincere- is done to remember the great Darren Beadman and all his exploits during this very special week for Hong Kong racing.
I was especially reminded of “The Dazzler” when reading trainer John Moore’s carefully timed tear-jerker about how his move to new stables during this important week could affect the health and well being and mental fragility of his horses. Sure, the trainer, a protected species in Hong Kong, has a very valid point as I can vouch for the mental toll taken on my being having to move apartments. Hell, it causes divorces as The Blame Game spreads like a virus.
Still, I thought the timing of the cry for help was a little baffling as this could have been said ages ago- and fixed- PLUS, from those who know about this move, word is that trainer Dennis Yip was meant to take over these new stables at this time but which Moore insisted on taking up.
Perhaps that’s all rubbish, but now, if his horses flop in the Cup races, John Moore can turn around on the balls of his feet and say, “See? My horses brains were frazzled. I told you so, I told you so” and which will be duly reported in the inevitable post-mortems after the horses have bolted and races have been run and won and lost and everyone has gone home.
Let’s at this time also spare a thought for the great Good Ba Ba which was pulled outta its retirement at the age of eleven, went from Macau to Oz and won a trial at Cranbourne on Monday for new trainer Rick Hore Lacy. How long this great galloper stays sound and keeps racing only Hore Lacy, Gary Moore and fung-shui-fixated owner John Yuen seem to know- and care about.
As for Wednesday night, The International Jockeys Challenge looks like a two horse race between The Zac Attack and Ryan “Smiley” Moore.
Ironically, the former’s best rides- Chancellor and All Lucky- are for trainer Tony Cruz who has not legged the rider up on any horses this season. It’s almost spooky, possums, how things have clicked this season for Zac Purton. Soon, he will walk on water and turn water into wine and feed the forty thousand.
As for feeding the hungry punters, well, The Zac Attack also has a place chance in Race 3 and Yuan’s Fortune which I call Yawn’s Misfortune as it’s one of the horses described as “dour” and I can’t see it beating Easy Gold with Craggly Craig Williams aboard, perhaps Golden Osmanthus- trying saying that with some chicken vindaloo in your gob- with “Yakitori” Fukunaga aboard- and trying saying THAT with some chopsticks down your throat- and Matty Chadwick’s ride, Very Well. It’s The Mouthful Steaks.
Though I would dearly like to see a Hong Kong win- no, I lie; I seriously don’t care as long as I win some big bucks for ME- I will follow Ryan “Smiley” Moore in Race 4 where he rides Absolute Fantasy for trainer Me Tsui, You, Tarzan-I’ll also bung in Dougie Whyte on Expectator in this race (what the fuck is an ‘expectator’???) and also follow him in Race 7 when he rides Mighty-K for Caspar Fownes despite drawn barrier 10.
Elsewhere, Cape Canaveral runs again in Race 5 and seems to be running every week. It will start under the odds and could splutter and spit the dummy as it must be a bloody tired horse. I really cannot see it winning and would take Gold Edition, Dance For Gold and Capital-K over it. Cape Canaveral has blasted off into those empty spaces way too often.
Race 8 brings the curtain down on this Happy Wednesday and it’s an interesting race where Tony Cruz could have a great chance of scoring a win for owner Thomas Kwok aka Mr Sa Sa with another of his “Beauty” horses, this one being, Beauty Touch with Enabling and Victor Delight looking the main dangers if horse Sa Sa becomes horse So So.
After that, I’ll be searching for actor Omar Sharif with the Theme From Doctor Zhivago playing through my head.
Mr Sharif who made such a spectacular appearance in Sir David Lean’s “Lawrence Of Arabia” is in town to watch his horse Don Bosco in the Hong Kong Mile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDF0at7sC0M
Also being one of the world’s greatest bridge players, I would like to take him on and be able to say, I tired to whip Dr. Zhivago’s ass and failed miserably.
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