We don’t know quite what to expect on this Happy Wednesday night as “Honey Badger” is in da house, or at least expected to be on course. For the uninitiated- and there are many of us in Hong Kong when it comes to footy- “Honey Badger” is the former Wallabies star player and celebrity “Aussie Larrikin” Nick Cummins.
No, haven’t read the book.
Aussie viewers who follow the reality series “The Bachelor Australia” might remember “Honey Bear” looking for love in 2018 and the sixth season where he threw a curve ball by rejecting both girls he had wooed and picked.
“Honey Badger” ended up walking alone down the beach- a forlorn figure saying he was “confused” and dangling a lone rose by his side. It didn’t go down very well. But when unreal “reality television” is on the blink, does anyone care? And for how long?
Might “Honey Badger” finally find love at Happy Valley Racecourse tonight? Who knows? He’ll be busy filming something or another starring himself.
More importantly, onstage at the Beer Garden will be Parts Deux of Fashion Rocks The Valley- great dancers, outfits, DJ Sakura, music…and FUN!
Everything above was created and choreographed by one of the very best and busiest in the business- Lemon Doo. Hey, it could have been Lemon Drops. Lemon Doo is pictured below with our favourite girl Hannah Schofield.
Quite the fashion icon, Lemon is also seen in the clip below being interviewed as part of Happy Wednesday Fashionistas though he’s more of a fashionistO.
Alas, Hannah won’t be on course tonight. She’s probably away in some exotic location with hubby, jockey Chad Schofield who’s serving out a suspension for the next couple of meetings.
With The Chadster out of action along with champion jockey Zac Purton aka the Zac Attack, it should open the door for more winners from Joao Moreira, Zac Purton and Grant van Niekerk.
Having said this, despite the Brazilian Magic Man being one of the greatest riders in the world, he often blows hot and cold when riding at the idiosyncratic city track.
He’s recently ridden a number of short priced favourites at Happy Valley, and, for one reason or another, a number of them have found it hard to find the winner’s stall.
In comparison, there’s the Mauritian Magician- Karis Teetan, Hong Kong racing’s fastest man on two legs and who’s riding winners like a man possessed.
Why is Karis running with a golf club in his hand and who’s the guy who’s running like Kim Kardashian?
Definitely keeping up with the leading pack is relative newcomer to Hong Kong racing, Grant van Niekerk, the Bruno Mars of racing, from South Africa.
Pouting fan of GVN with a samosa bow tie around her neck.
Right up there, and as they would say in racing parlance, in “cracking form” is Hong Kong’s very own Vincent CY Ho. And what a partnership he’s forged with Francis Lui, who’s often the much forgotten success story of this racing season.
What’s Vincent staring at?
A different type of winner. Pity about the paper tattoo.
Only a fool would leave any of these riders out of any and all calculations. The same goes for Frenchman Tony Piccone.
Tony Piccone shows his TP logo even though it reads as an upside down PT.
Tony whoooooo? has quickly turned to Tony Waaaaah with the previously pretty much unknown jockey to many out here having now ridden three winners and six placings from just 22 rides.
He seems to have also become trainer Tony Cruz’s long lost son with the powerful trainer throwing almost all his weighty support behind the Frenchman.
Piccone has five rides tonight, he seems right at home riding the tight Happy Valley track and definitely could add to his tally.
Of course, this season’s biggest success story has been the hugely successful career move of Douglas Whyte from thirteen time consecutive champion Hong Kong jockey to the most in-demand trainer- and with a deadly strike rate.
Douglas Whyte models his new tie, watch, shades and pin striped suit. He could be one of the Goodfellas- Joe Pesci.
Known as the Durban Demon during his riding days, Whyte, and his now trademark shades, sends out five runners tonight though we don’t see any of them saluting.
Douglas Whyte’s pussy- Cat Power.
As always, the trainer legs up young Lyle Hewitson on a few of his runners, but, again, luck has deserted the very likeable rider when it comes to barrier draws.
A love-in. Sweet.
On Whyte’s Styling City, possibly one of his better chances with Hewitson aboard, the runner is drawn barrier 11 in the twelve horse field over the short 1200 metres. We know, Lyle, we know.
“The barrier gods are against me. But why?”
As for winners and losers for the night, we’re hardly experts, texperts and racing gurus. But there is a female in our team who has a very high winning strike rate by combining the Chinese names of horses with the odds and jockey bookings.
Below are her readings from the tea leaves over a cuppa yum cha.
R1: It’s a lottery. Most of the first couple of races are. This is Class 5 race over 1000 metres where the highest rated horse is at 40. If one were to snare the Quartet, the payout should be sizeable. But it’s a big If…
R2: After Me (9) Flying Godspell (12) Nice King (8) Exceptional Desire (7)
R3: Another 1000 metre race where some of the better chances are drawn wide. Mercifully, without a completely horrendous barrier to contend with though hardly perfect- barrier 8- here’s hoping that Lyle Hewitson at least goes close on the Caspar Fownes-trained Gunnar (4). First starter Fireball (5) is the hot favourite, but, Beware The Ides Of Moreira.
R4: Charity Wings (4)
R5: Surrealism (7) Namjong Plus (2) Planet Star (3) Top Score (9)
R6: Mehboob (5) Victory In Hand (4) Loriz (1) Casa De Forca (2)
R7: Bear Again (5) Comfort Life (12) Magnificent (2) Rule Thee (11)
R8: A tough race with a number of speeders tacking the 1000 metre race. The leading chances look to be Flying Genius (6), G-Unit (11), Harmony And Rich (3) with Tony Piccone aboard, Hong Kong Win (8) and Heart Conquered (1). But there’s always a fly in the ointment.
R9: Highly Proactive (2), Snap Fit (3), Shining Ace (1) Starlight (9)
Here’s to another Happy Wednesday!
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