(Courtesy of http://www.fasttrack.hk)

(Source: Zhong Guodes Heng)

Thursday at Happy Valley will be remembered for a number of things- the nasty fall taken by Gerard Mosse on Mr Marfach, a surreal race-call that’s made The Big Bloopers reel, the high-fiving between jockeys Brett Prebble and Dougie Whyte after the former won the second race which was a true WTF moment, the brilliant treble ridden by Tommy Berry and all the twists and turns and oneupmanship of the Tony Cruz-Dennis Yip trainers’ battle royale.

What happened between these two trainers’ horses couldn’t have been scripted better.

(Source: Apple Daily)

(Source: Apple Daily)

Away from the racing, music rocked the Valley with only two songs from the excellent and make-shift Ben Semmens Band which only came together a few hours earlier, but what on earth supposedly popular local Canto-pop chanteuse Shiga was doing onstage singing like Mrs Miller despite a ready-made karaoke backing track was chilling to ears.

(Source: HKJC)

Her performance up there on pencil-thin legs was actually Shiggaring. Next season, let’s have one good music act performing for the entire evening to the very international Beer Garden audience instead of three acts, two of which are usually like trying to squeeze some square holes into one deep round hole.

Sometimes, variety is not the spice of life. It can, in fact, be very scary.

(Source: Wesleying)

What’s that? Never heard of Mrs Miller? Here you go.

TIPS FROM THE FAST TRACKER

R1: 6-4-8-1
R2: 3-9-14-11
R3: 9-3-6-14
R4: 3-1-2-13
R5: 8-11-7-6
R6: 7-5-1-11
R7: 5-12-9-2
R8: 12-7-3-6
R9: 10-4-2-12
R10: 11-10-7-13
R11: 5-6-4-14

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(Source: HD Wallpapers Arena)

ENTOURAGE

One race blew apart our newbie entourage’s Six Up bet on Thursday. This was when Touch Go didn’t run in the first two in race five. The rest of the selections all won.

If Touch Go won, it would have meant a cool collect of over $500,000.

Still, Sarika, Natalie and Justin won a number of doubles using the IBU board at Adrenaline to provide them with the information needed and for today think that John Moore will end the season the season with a BIG BANG!

R6: 1-7-9-11
R7: 5
R8: 3-7-12
R9: 10
R10: 7-10-11
R11: 5-6

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(Source: Facebook)

HARLOW DALI PIC TIPS FOR TODAY

RACE 1

RACE 2

RACE 3

RACE 4

RACE 5

RACE 6

RACE 7

RACE 8

RACE 9

RACE 10

RACE 11

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(Source: Gracie Carroll)

SELECTIONS FOR SHA TIN (FROM @SW064351)

BEST BET

Race 9, No. 10 DESIGNS ON ROME

Put the writing on the wall last start when narrowly going down to All You Wish. Hard to deny with the weight pull and a horse to follow for next season.

SECOND BEST

Race 7, No. 9 B Choice

Motored home nicely two weeks ago after snagging back early from a wide barrier. Will race closer to the speed with the gun draw and be flashing home once again.

LONGSHOT

Jockey Challenge, T Clark

Has a full book of rides and can cause a boilover with the likes of Full Value, Outdoor Pegasus and Roman Soldier.

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CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW

The good Captain’s pigeon messages and twisted tips with clues came in handy on Thursday.

For today, he warns everyone NOT to go searching for MALAYAN PEARL nor being tempted by KYAYA but NOT to dilly dally about following PRECISION TIME (RACE 6,1).

(Source: Rack CDN)

He adds that if you wish to be a REWARDING STAR (RACE 7, 5) to set sail on a DYNAMIC VOYAGE (RACE 7,12) aboard the SEA DIAMOND (RACE 11,5).

Enough said other than have a SMART BALL (RACE 8,7) of a time.

(Surce: Booze Log)

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THE FAST TRACKER ON SUNDAY AT SHATIN

It’s really getting down to the wire and with only one Happy Valley meeting left after today, John Size needs to make his mark at Shatin to have any chance of winning his eighth trainers premiership.

(Source: SCMP)

Yes, Size must matter whereas Tony Cruz, too, needs three winners today to give current leader Dennis Yip something to worry about. If not, The Fat Lady would burst into song after race eleven today.

(Source: Webidiotz)

What do I think? Well, first of all, I’m wondering what’s happened to the very successful Yip-Purton partnership with the jock hardly on any of the trainer’s horses in the last few meetings and only on three of them today- though he has one of his strongest book of rides in some time.

(Source: Sing Pao)

One can only assume the Zac Attack’s surgery for kidney stones- and the pain is still there- and inability to make some of the low weights are the key reasons for Yippie going elsewhere for riders.

(Source: HKJC)

It will be business as usual next season and where I think Zac, who should be remembered for his outstanding rides this season, will be hungry to plunder more International successes.

(Source: HKJC)

As for Dennis Yip, other than some good chances early on in the day, the trainer’s big chance today appears to be in Race 11 where Douglas Whyte rides All You Wish as opposed to another of his regular mounts in John Moore’s Secret Sham.

(Source: Apple Daily)

That’s a huge tip as, let’s not forget, Whyte, who is sporting a new Onionhead hairstyle, is determined to ride a hundred winners for the season and needs three more to reach this milestone- which is better than having a millstone around one’s neck.

(Source: The Right Rant)

Can he do it? Well, at least, he’s not riding that hoodoo horse named Autumn Gold so that’s one jinx outta the way and, unlike Thursday, where I really didn’t think he had any winning chances, today seems to be D Day though taking the ride on Happy Ceramibo for Danny Shum and not Golden Addiction for John Size is a tad puzzling.

(Source: Uphill Writing)

On the subject of Size, he can easily have 3-4 winners though Yip might hit back with 2-3 winners whereas Tony Cruz has strength in numbers though I am uncertain if they can win in some very competitive races.

Having said all that, I am tipping the partnership of John Moore and Tommy Berry to go bang bang boom boom.

(Source: HKJC)

Away from the races, rumors are rife about David Hayes wishing to return to his happy hunting grounds- Haysey can wish all he wants, but often wishes don’t come true- while others claim that Hong Kong will be seeing Frankie Dettori and Chad Schofield in action.

(Source: Metro)

Hmmmm, I really doubt this though it must be said that Victoria and even Western Australia have some excellent young riders- The Chadster, yes, below with Sugarlips, plus Tommy Sadler, Ben Knobel, Jake Duffy, hopefully, a reformed Jason Maskiell, and from WA, Chris Parnham, Jordan Mallyon and Jarred Noske.

(Suorce: Zimbio)

What is more interesting might be what the HKJC has planned for the battler trainers and if any “show cause” cases will have to do much more than training those thirteen winners and with everything hunky dory after this.

(Source: Gigabiting)

Meanwhile, while one door closes for some and another door might need to be pried open and one season ends and a new season starts up before you know it, I am tipping some huge changes that will take Hong Kong racing into an even bigger global arena.

And when this happens, only those with the wherewithal- and talent and chutzpah- to truly deliver will survive the test of time like sand from an hourglass.

The days of the free rides and pretending to do something whilst doing nothing are over, red rover. These have been, The Days Of Your Lives.