WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
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WANNA GET HAPPY?
The Beer Garden will take on a more Carnivale atmosphere on Wednesday when the best Latino band in town- frankly, the only band to include Brazilian, Portuguese and Colombian players- and with charismatic frontman Chris Polanco, below, to many, Hong Kong’s Mr Entertainment, take to the stage.
This was the very popular band- and frontman Polanco, who speaks Cantonese, English, Portuguese, French and Italian- that the venue has been trying to book for almost three years. The stars having finally perfectly aligned.
Yes, the Wines In The Valley promotion continues, which is not to say that hot Salsa rhythms with some Santana thrown in won’t make things hotter and more fun.
Called Carnivale, the band, minus Polanco, has performed at the Beer Garden once before when Joao Moreira, the hugely popular Brazilian jockey and racing’s Magic Man, first moved to Hong Kong. They’re also the band that played on the popular Samba De Moreira video. On Wednesday, apart from Joao, their sounds will also welcome another Brazilian jockey who will be riding in Hong Kong for the first time- Eurico Rosa Da Silva.
Apart from Carnivale, the Beer Garden will be taking on a different “personality” in the months ahead- guest hosts, guest DJs and dancers, less talk and more FUN! After all, this IS the Beer Garden, it is a Happy Wednesday, and all types happiness will be spread throughout Happy Valley- more interactivity with regulars, tourists and racing fans with jockeys, more electricity and more of the unexpected for this mid-week break.
As Chris Polanco says, “Look at this setting- horse racing under the stars and at a racecourse right in the middle of high rise buildings with ‘live’ music, competitions, fun activities, a very international group of people and Hong Kong’s best stress reliever! No one should miss this non-stop party that’s also a Carnivale! Spread the word…”
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WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
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APPRECIATING HORSE RACING’S FEEL GOOD MOMENTS
For those racing novices who wish to see how exciting racing can be, how to appreciate the expertise and skills needed by the riders, and the Feel Good aspects of the sport, chosen are three races from Sunday’s big Hong Kong Gold Cup meeting, which attracted some of the biggest names in the game.
The first rider to take centre stage here was the least experienced of the riders in action on Sunday- Kei Chiong, the first female apprentice jockey in fifteen years to be granted a riding license in Hong Kong.
Only recently back after an injury, where she broke two fingers in a fall, the 22-year-old Kei, mentored by brilliant ex-jockey Felix Coetzee who will always be known for his association with the legendary Hong Kong champion galloper Silent Witness, produced a great and strong ride to overpower fellow apprentice Jack Wong for a short, but decisive win aboard Helen’s Storm.
After the race, Felix Coetzee beamed on like a proud father. “I am not giving up with these two kids. It’s not going to happen overnight, but Kei and Jack will make it. Kei is a tough little girl. Nothing escapes her. She has the right attitude to make it.”
The next race- and ride- to savour and appreciate is Joao Moreira winning on Towering Storm. Of course, the Magic Man of Hong Kong racing has produced some incredible- and magical riding displays much better than even this- but take a look and watch how he pilots his ride like Lewis Hamilton zig-zagging his way in a Formula 1 race. Brilliant stuff!
Next is Tommy Berry’s winning ride in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup. The extremely popular Australian jockey hadn’t ridden the horse in two years- a horse that has battled injury problems and was brought back to his best by champion trainer John Moore.
With the owner of Designs On Rome insisting in flying Berry out to be reacquainted with the galloper, watch the incredible understanding between jockey and galloper to bring about this brilliant win. And note the fist-pump and camaraderie between Tommy Berry and Joao Moreira on second placed Helene Happy Star. Racing needs more Feel Good moments like these!
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WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
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TALK TO US: EXPLAINING THE A,B,C’s OF HORSE RACING
Sure, there are those who’ll think some of the questions asked of jockey Zac Purton in the interview below by racing novices illustrator Catherine Grossrieder, and singer Jennifer Palor- the voice of experience is Sydney-based jockey Adam Hyeronimus who was visiting Hong Kong- to be downright stupid. After all, everyone knows everything about horse racing, right? You know, handicapping, barrier draws, why blouses are called silks, and what a jockey goes through to be the athlete they need to be to ride a thousand pound animal?
Oh yeah? Welcome to the real world and all those potential full-time racing fans still on the sidelines waiting to be attracted to the sport and know more about it so that they, too, can play.
Zac Purton did a tremendous job in explaining his job with good natured humour mixed with hard facts, and never belittled those asking the questions. As he put it, “It’s quite an eye opener to realise how many people there are who are interested in horse racing, and have not had so much about the sport explained to them”. Well, Zac, you did a damn fine job in taking one big baby step in putting that right.
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WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
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NO TIPS, PLEASE, WE WANT TO WIN!
They say that jockeys are the worst tipsters in the world. We beg to differ: We think tipsters are the worst tipsters around, and you’d quickly go broke following them. Most of us did exactly that at Shatin on Sunday. There were no signs of a Gold-Fun, a Giant Treasure or a frying Pan Sutong. Only tears.
But not to dwell on the painful art of talking through one’s pockets, to the novice racing fan, we offer this advice: Follow your hunches. Like the look of a horse? Back it. Like the look of a jockey? Back whatever he’s riding. Have a lucky number or favourite colour? Back it. Joao Moreira is riding a horse? Back it.
Here are a few things to take into consideration: Ever since his girlfriend Hannah has arrived in Hong Kong, jockey Chad Schofield is riding like a man with fire in his loins. Keep following him. And Hannah.
After riding four winners last Wednesday and one on Sunday, Karis Teetan, the Mauritian Magician with the stunning cheek bones that make many women buckle at the knees, can never be left out of calculations. He could be riding a pogo stick these days and still get up and win.
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WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
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Racing to win- and having FUN! How it works…
A tip: This can be a fun way to try and win BIG by pooling your resources with friends. The more choices, the bigger the outlay, so take the following as a guide: The Six Up goes from Race 3 to Race 8. If you and your friends pick two horses in each race- 2x2x2x2x2x2- this will cost the team HK$640 for a $10 ticket. Too expensive? Take the Six Up for $5, which will cost you HK$320. Or take it for even $2. The key is to have fun by winning with friends!
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WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
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