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THE EVOLUTION OF THE HAPPY WEDNESDAY BRAND
A short couple of years ago, Adrenaline, the venue at Happy Valley racecourse, was trying to find itself after a new facelift. It was having teething problems. There was ‘live’ music, and though good, something just wasn’t clicking. One cover song between audio of paddock parades for television audiences seeping through, and then showing the races themselves, didn’t really make the venue what it is today- hugely popular with what is a very international mix of an upmarket audience, full at least a week in advance, and with a band led by singer Jennifer Palor easily being the best in town.
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What makes you happy? Ask a hundred people this question and you’re likely to get a hundred different answers.
We’d really like to know what makes YOU and all your friends happy by visiting us on Twitter @HappyWednesdayFans. Tell us everything that makes you happy and add the hashtag #MakesMeHappy.
Let’s bring some positivity to the world!
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LOOKING BACK ON LAST WEEK’S HAPPY WEDNESDAY
By Mick Keef Jaggered
Woke up at 5.30am so as not to be late for Happy Wednesday. Woke up next to an uneaten hamburger.
Must have fallen asleep watching the local horse tipping show “Racing To Win” that mysteriously appears on TVB Pearl around 2am. Always listen to form analyst and tipster Paul Lally. He knows his stuff. He also enjoys a good steak at Le Pampa.
Was on Twitter until 9am tweeting random stuff while thinking what to wear for the evening- the black shirt or the black shirt with a tie with black Versace jeans and a pair of green Village Adidas? Or the other black shirt?
9.15am: Sent a text to jockey Douglas Whyte. As he had one ride for the night, asked him to drop by Adrenaline for a long overdue catch-up.
10am: Took a nap and had a weird dream about jockey Blake Shinn whom I have never met in my life.
2pm: Watched William Pike win a race at Ascot in Western Australia. So what else is new? “King” William wins almost any race he wants over there despite struggling for rides when he rode in Hong Kong a number of years ago.
There’s another exciting new riding talent making his mark in WA: Clint Johnson-Porter.
This 18-year-old is going places as have so many other jockeys from WA who had to leave the State in order to further their careers- Damien Oliver, Damian Lane, Chris Parnham etc etc. When-oh-when is someone going to show some leadership skills and finally get WA racing on track? And while at it, when is someone gonna get Richard Burt, xxxxx, some new suits that don’t look as if they’re hand-me-downs from Joan Collins circa her “Dynasty” period.
5pm: Got to Adrenaline in time to hear the Jennifer Palor Band rehearsing. They were rehearsing “Hello”. Stomach got queasy thinking of Adele and the other side. Ordered a bottle of champers to settle the gurgling stomach. Hello.
5.30pm: The Goddess Of Doom arrived dressed all in black and told us that the forecast for the night was rain and lightning. And dead birds will fall from the sky. Had to have another glass of champers in order to steel myself for the impending Armageddon.
Nothing happens to mess up the weather. How could it? Former Director of Racing- Bill “Let me get back to you” Nader aka Mr Sunshine- was at the track. Nothing rains on Mr Bill’s parade.
5.45pm: Interviewed CeeLo Green lookalike Chris Polanco, Jennifer Palor and Jordy Guzman about the Hong Kong music scene. Most of it made sense. More to come in the following weeks including special guests.
6pm: Made my Six Up, Double Trio and Treble bets based on the avalanche of information given by so-called racing experts.
7pm: Longtime friend from the MTV years arrived with latest business partner. It was his first time at the races- anywhere. Spent the next hour explaining to them what all the numbers on the television screens meant. He and his friend were awestruck by what Adrenaline is all about. Who isn’t?
8pm: The lovely Tiffany arrives. We hug and she makes a strange mewing sound. She grabs herself some dinner and gets me some spicy Korean noodles that make me break out in a sweat. Maybe it was Tiffany giving the Peace sign?
Friends ask if Winnie, the host at Adrenaline, has something stuck in her nose. She sounds very nasally. Maybe she inhaled some of the fried calamari being served at the buffet table?
7.47pm: Kei Chiong wins Race 3 on favourite to keep my Six Up hopes alive. Beats Douglas Whyte in tight finish.
My MTV friend tries on some virtual racing goggles presented to him by a striking looking Chinese Amazonian dressed as if from the Starship Enterprise. He looks extremely weird with the goggles on and keeps excitedly yelling to himself. His friend had gone walkies. After losing $50, he needed to chill.
8.17pm: Gets blown out of the Six Up when none of my choices come even close. Needless to say, the Double Trio goes down the gurgler as well. It’s only Race 4. So much for tips.
9.30pm: Received a text from Douglas Whyte saying something innocuous. He was going home. Goodbye, Douglas Whyte.
10pm: Aussie jockey Blake Shinn arrives at Adrenaline with partner Whitney. We have a quick chat before he has to bolt to watch a John Moore runner. The Moore The Merrier.
10:17: Also gets blown out of the Treble. Tiffany looks grumpy. Promises are made that she will win on Sunday while she insists that tipping programmes are produced to make people lose money. She gets more grumpy when saying the same thing to the Club’s CEO who’s arrived to chill and get away from the type of nattering unloaded by Tiffany.
Our good friend jockey Karis Teetan aka The Mauritian Magician rides two winners and wins the Jockey Challenge. A group of us go out onto the balcony at Adrenaline and scream out his name. He waves- but has no clue who we are. Some magician…
11pm: With Adrenaline now open for an hour after the last race, fun people get up and start dancing to the band who’s playing “Money For Nothing”. Wanna get people bopping about? Play “Money For Nothing” or “Uptown Funk”. The HKJC CEO joins in and absolutely owns the dance floor. Onlookers are stunned by his moves.
Midnight: I get home and asks the girlfriend who has zero interest in horse racing for some food. The stomach is growling and screaming, “Feed me!” She orders me some McNuggets with extra mustard sauce and goes to sleep in the guest room complaining that I smell like a bowl of Korean noodles.
To be continued…
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TWEETS OF THE WEEK
I could watch this all day https://t.co/AbmUm7dxGu — Science GIFs⚛️ (@Learn_Things) April 21, 2016
Facebook opens Philippines office https://t.co/0j7rc4d9FR #SocialMedia pic.twitter.com/XqPy0i4fh8 — Narcis Nachos Radoi (@nachosdj) April 21, 2016
Picture yourself in a boat on a river With tangerine trees & marmalade skies Somebody calls you..#TheBeatles#Art pic.twitter.com/qNVbuzFeDQ — Pink Floyd – Steve®™ (@steve_sps) April 20, 2016
.@lonelyplanet tracks down bucket-list bathrooms in its latest international travel guide https://t.co/4cuLYG5lUs pic.twitter.com/E3aQF1d6Ws — Cool Hunting (@coolhunting) April 18, 2016
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