Some of us had to laugh at Zac Purton being warned for some finger-pointing at arch rival Dougie Whyte when Ambitious Dragon breathed fire on Glorious Days. It might have been tit-for-tat stuff and The Zac Attack’s reply to The Demon’s finger-pointing the last time the two horses met and Glorious Days destroyed Ambitious Dragon.
Hell, this type of heat of the moment emotional pourings, especially in a big race, adds to the color, drama and competitive nature of the day- and racing.
For Chief Stipe Kim “Elliot Ness” Kelly to wag his own finger at Purton has made us get dizzy with all these fingers being given.
I could be wrong, but it all seems like going back to school and having to face detention or worse, being caned by a grumpy headmaster and named the class dummy.
It’s an inter-active world, so for inter-activity-sake, let people inter-act and not police and shackle from the human foibles of a competitive- and not combative- sport.
Let’s not try and run racing like a kindergarten with teachers from the nearest nunnery. It’s stupid.
Will there be more fingering at Happy Valley tomorrow/tonight? Well, perhaps from some racing pundit nehrus as it might look like a dreary looking card- but when compared to what was served up at Shatin last Sunday, what do you expect? Racing foie gras?
Then again, one has to wonder if hardcore local punters give a rat’s arse about “good racing” and “great rides” or if they are happy as Larry- and Moe and Curly Joe- just to have a bet even if the horses running are Class 4 and 5 “goats”? I honestly don’t think they give a damn. It’s all about having a bet on anything that is running. Or even crawling up a drainpipe. Racing can be put into two baskets- the too hard one with no value, or a meeting like the one at Happy Valley where there is value to be had and when some of the senior riders have to mentally adjust their minds and come down from the adrenaline rush of Sunday. I have to come down from the rush of seeing Francesca Cumani in the paddock area. We all have our crosses to bear.
Looking at the card, I had shivers running down my backbone and was shaking all over to see Saddler’s Lodge and Glory Of India entered, two of my hoodoo horses. If Holyangelholy also ran, the axis of evil would have been complete.
Will I follow these two horses? Not even in a one horse race.
As always, the Durban Demon and The Zac Attack have decent books of ride without them being spectacular, which is why. I’d be looking at some of the local boys’ rides like those of Vincent Ho, Alex Lai and Ben So.
Then there is The Hobbit- Little Timmy Clark- who really is being a little under-utilized. Only four rides on International Day? He’s far too good to be sitting in the Jockeys Room watching pumpers go up and down on the one spot and horses go backwards. That stuff went out with Mick Dittman when he was The Enforcer.
Speaking of which, I hear he’s gone to NZ to help out old mate Shane Dye who won his comeback race by actually leading on a horse. See? You CAN teach old dogs new tricks.
As for The Hobbit, I really like his ride in Race 4- Hei Hei Posh- and also think he has strong chances with Flying Keeper in Race 3, perhaps Supreme Tycoon in Race 2 whereas he has ridden Ride On The Fire which run again tonight so many times recently, his arse must be fried. How many times is this horse going to go around before it drops a class?
Elsewhere, the Zac Attack should score with the pretty average Kick Serve in Race 6 and though I am not feeling the love anymore with Bundle Of Love which has been grossly disappointing, it’s one I’ll > get sucked into backing again in the last along with Romantic City, a horse trained by Gary Ng who, apparently, only knows how to train sprinters. Bollocks. He can’t potty train a baby though I’ll still have him here over The Knuckle Dragger which is really saying something.
As for value, I’d look at Amazing Fortune in Race 3, Home With Glory in Race 5, perhaps Richard Gibson’s Enthusing in Race 7- and he’s going through a bit of a funk period lately- and Super Plus in the last, all ridden by local riders. I am not saying they’ll win, but they could add value to tierce bets.
It won’t be a glamour day at the races, but it could very easily have you leaving the track with more dosh in your pockets than you had after Sunday when many short and curlies saluted. You can’t have it all.
The Guru
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