(Source: HKJC)
Yes, it was a dream start to the new racing season with an attendance of over 66,000, turnover of over $1 billion and the Beatles reminding us that these were the highest numbers since Sgt Pepper’s taught the band to play twenty years ago. But, there were other lesser highlights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gwg_d3XZ5A
After winning race one, David Ferraris was the leading trainer in Hong Kong for 25 minutes.
It’s totally untrue that the Darth Vadar of Hong Kong racing demanded the racing season end right then and there.
(Source: Apple Daily)
He DID, however, ask Bill “Pyro” Nader, Director of Racing, if he could have a fireworks display to celebrate the moment. “Pyro” was busy listening to the Theme from Cops and boogied away.
(Source: HKJC)
New boy Karis Teetan who had a fairy tale start to his riding stint by winning on his first ride in Hong Kong, is said to dislike his nickname- “The Magician From Mauritius”.
He wants to be known as “The Big Teet”.
Nah, mate, that won’t work even if true.
(Source: The New Age)
We were mortified to read a press release from the Comms department of the HKJC that Cerise Cherry was “bitten” last season during the running of the SAR Chief Executive Cup when it came in an unlucky second.
According to the release, this “bite” was the reason trainer Derek Cruz, once bitten, twice shy, booked The Zac Attack for another bite of the Cerise Cherry.
(Source: Apple Daily)
Almond Lee was spotted banging a char siu bau on his head when his former charge Clement Spirit, ridden by Dougie Whyte, won at the first time of asking for new trainer Francis Lui. It was something like twenty years since the horse won a race.
(Source: Apple Daily)
That cockroach which lives inside trainer Tony Cruz’s left ear is fit, healthy and has grown during the off season. In fact, it could be spawning.
(Source: HKJC)
Matty “Bus Uncle” Chadwick was spotted being taught how to smile by the always-happy “Darth” Ferraris. It wasn’t working. He still looked as if he just swallowed a turd despite using his fingers to stretch his mouth into a forced smile.
(Source: Sing Pao)
Bill Nader, Director of Racing, is said to have hurriedly left the Shatin race course early for Happy Valley to practice ringing the bell that signals (yawn) the launch on Wednesday of the mind-bogglingly stupid CSL 1010 Million Challenge.
(Source: HKJC)
After years of this Challenge being around, it still remains a challenge for racegoers to understand- or care about how it works and what’s in it for them.
Let’s help with this: There’s nada in it for them except watching four grown men stop the flow of a Happy Wednesday Night by ringing a big bell.
Now that 1010’s marketing guru Mark Liversidge, aka The Sausage, has left the building with Elvis, we have to wonder if our old mate Nick Columb will join in?
Last year, fans of the TV series Chicago Fire asked if all that ringing was a fire alarm. Nah, it was just that Sausage happily ringing his owl bell and basking in the glory of it all.
Yesterday was one of the few days when that dreadful bore Natalis Chan, one-time lead singer of local band The Loosers- named by then-manager and also huge bore “Dr” Pato Leung, Manager of the Goodtime Syndicate- didn’t jump into a winning photo despite having nothing to do with the winning horse.
The John Moore-owned Not Listening To Me won easily in Oz yesterday and will be heading to Hong Kong.
Word is the horse was named after Georgie Moore Jr and “Brother” Gary and originally named Not Listening To Any Of Them.
We couldn’t help listening to all the talk at Shatin about Sun Equine taking over the global racing world with now, new properties in New Zealand, the UK, Europe and, of course, huge plans for China. Will Greece, Spain, Italy and Sri Lanka be next?
Good luck to them though we have heard the same cockeyed optimism about China going back to the days of Kevin Connolly, Patrick Lee, John Gilmore, Claude Piccone and racing in Wuhai. What happened? Bugger all.
Photos that make us go, Hmmm.
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