Yesterday’s Caulfield Cup Day was a huge big day out for the team of Adrian Bott and the always upbeat even when she should be downbeat Gai Waterhouse, who trained three WONDERFUL winners, Darren Weir who trained a quartet and the Hayes-Dabernig team who trained Cup winner Boom Time for the hardly well-known young rider Corey Parish. It was great for the young hoop, but the race was otherwise appalling replete with team riding that went horribly wrong and some rides that should not be entertained on a race day that’s one of the biggest in the Australian racing calendar. Boom Boom and Bang Bang and Oingo Boingo, Lloyd Williams.

It was also a great day for the very much in-form Stephen Baster who rode a double for Lady GaiGai and Damian Lane who chimed in with a brilliant treble for the Weir camp.

It was not such a good day, however, for Joao Moreira. It’s been evident from many of his flying trips to the land Down Under that his magic doesn’t work over there. Not only does he come back empty handed, his brand is all but destroyed. And now he’s returned after a trip to Caulfield where none of his rides were given any hope of winning bringing with him a suspension for careless riding.

Surely, it’s time the HKJC re-look at these flying visits by leading riders which must have an impact on their performances back in Hong Kong? A winless Joao Moreira also impacts the image of Hong Kong racing, especially when going around no hopers like battling local rider Alvin Ng.

Still with Hong Kong, we feel for local owner Norman Cheng. His expensive purchase Who Dat Singa and once aimed at last year’s Hong Kong Derby is going backwards even though now down in Class 3 whereas another of his purchases- Line Up Girls trained by the always effusive Gary Moore- ended ten lengths behind the second last horse at Randwick yesterday.

We thoroughly enjoy Gazza’s antics and his over the top joy in winning, but history has taught us that whenever he declares a horse as a certainty, clouds of doubt roll in and we immediately delete it from our minds. And so it was with Line Up Girls. They/her, they’re still lining up.

PAKISTAN STAR: LET’S NOT BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH

Seriously now, what’s the point? We’re talking about Pakistan Star, probably Hong Kong’s most well-known horse for all the wrong reasons, but one main one: He simply doesn’t wish to race. Period.

Frankly, the antics of Pakistan Star going back to that first race when he burst onto the scene with Matthew Chadwick aboard and “went viral” with an amazing last to first win and repeated this at his next run had many saying, here’s a galloper that could be anything. The plush toys were quickly managed and seemingly everyone in racing jumped on the bandwagon and racing writers fuelled the fans of hype. And then the wheels fell off. That’s always the danger of hype. Remember Milli Vanilli.

Chadwick was replaced by Joao Moreira after two ignominious failures. He won that next race, came second twice for jockey Silvestre de Sousa and showed great potential both times. Then, as one of the greatest certainties ever, he jumped with the rest of the field in the Premier Plate last season as the $1.2 favourite before deciding after a 100 metres that he didn’t wish to race. He dug his heels in and wouldn’t budge.

Joao Moreira, a wonderful horseman who can be harder on a horse than many realise, did his best with his “persuader” to get Pakistan Star going. No amount of magic and brute force worked. Pakistan Star just dug his heels in and wasn’t going anywhere. It was one of the most bizarre things seen on a racecourse. He eventually trotted past the winning post after the race had been run and won.

Needing to pass a number of trials before being allowed to race again, these too have become exercises in futility. One trial was good, the next a disaster when again he suddenly stopped running.

Though trainer Tony Cruz and Joao Moreira insist on getting to the bottom of the horse, not only is time running out- or has run out- but Pakistan Star has become a liability for the HKJC and connections in self-made millionaire and longtime Hong Kong Belonger Kerm Din.

Earlier this week, Cruz’s Assistant Trainer was fined for “tickling” the legs of the horse with a bullwhip during track work and when trying to get Pakistan Star to enter the barriers. Bullwhips, or whatever whip was used are for the bedroom. The guilty party was fined for what must have been an act of sheer frustration on his part and that of the stable. Photographs and videos of this incident have also gone viral- and for all the wrong reasons. It’s stopped being funny. It’s actually cause for concern. Those who were once part of the Hype Train have of course jumped off. They’re now singing a different tune.

Word has it that Monty Roberts aka The Horse Whisperer has thrown his hat into the ring to try and mend Pakistan Star’s errant ways. And even if he does, then what?

How many are ever going to back him in a race? No one. If he does race, he’ll become a liability yet again- and everyone will be blamed.

The HKJC should realise by now that whatever way they move with this certainly enigmatic galloper, it’s a case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Plus we’re willing to bet that Joao Moreira will refuse to ride him again. It’s more than just a risky ride. It could affect The Magic Man’s brand.

Though feeling sorry for the connections, they must be persuaded to do the best and only thing they can: Find a good equine rehab centre for Pakistan Star from where he can leave having done his 12 Step programme and retire a happy horse.

Despite all that’s happened in such a short period of time time and made to look longer because of the twists and turns this story has taken, Pakistan Star will go down in history as the potentially brilliant galloper who could race, but for reasons known only to him didn’t want to have anything to do with the sport. His actions say he wants out. Like many of us, he seems to just wants to be happy. A race track seems to give him the creeps. Pakistan Star is in need of new green pastures and it’s time to respect his wishes.

THE BARBARO BUTCHERS GIRL

It’s difficult to make the selling of meat sound sexy, especially in radio commercials. Of course, good writing helps with, for example, lines about how to satisfy those carnivorous desires. It’s still, however, all about meats- chops, wanting it lean, or on the fatty side, maybe minced meat and exactly how to beat that meat others are selling. Enter Kelly Meacock, below.

Kelly is the voice on Tabtouch Radio in Perth behind those damn sensual radio commercials for Barbaro Butchers, Greenwood, purveyors of fine quality meats. She has a kinda nonchalant laid back delivery that comes across sounding like Jennifer Lawrence directing someone to offer up something meaty that’s like an Aussie version of Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe.

In the spots, the lady of the house, who’s apparently quite a hit with the boys at Barbaro Butcher would do anything to please her man who sounds like an old guy who wouldn’t know what to do with a good bone.

Frankly, listening to the spots, we think there’s something here that SCREAMS reality series, Barbaro boys.

Whatever it’s screaming, it’s not so much music to our ears, but most definitely something we can get our teeth into.

SUNDAY AT SHA TIN: IS IT EASY AS IT LOOKS?

RACE 1

LUNAR ZEPHYR (7)
LUCKY TIME (6)
RESPECT (11)
TOURBILLON KING (14)

RACE 2

MORETHANLUCKY (1)
GREAT TREASURE (4)
INDIGENOUS STAR (14)
AMBITIOUS PINS (6)

RACE 3

TELECOM BOOM (12)
GOOD METHOD (2)
YOURTHEONEFORME (9)
BLISS CARTEL (13)

RACE 4

RAZOR QUEST (6)
EXPERTO CREDE (12)
SERGEANT TITANIUM (5)
CIRCUIT HASSLER (1)

RACE 5

LET’S TAKE IT EASY (5)
HURRICANE HUNTER (7)
GRADE ONE (2)
FLYING NOBLE (9)

RACE 6

DINOZZO (7)
GOLD MOUNT (3)
DOYENI (4)
SOLAR HEI HEI (5)

RACE 7

LUCKY BUBBLES (3)
THEWIZARDOFOZ (2)
MR STUNNING (1)

RACE 8

WERTHER (3)

RACE 9

SUPER HOPPY (7)
TOP BEAUTIFUL (10)
STAR OF PATCH (14)
PRIMERO (11)

RACE 10

NOTHINGILIKEMORE (2)
SIMPLY INVINCIBLE (3)
JOLLY JOLLY (8)
SLEEP EDUCATION (13)

SIX UP

R5: 2-3-5-7-9
R6: 4-7
R7: 1-2-3
R8: 3
R9: 7-8-10-11-14
R10: 2-3

PARTING SHOT

#PakistanStar #MatthewChadwick #JoaoMoreira #SilvestredeSousa #TonyCruz #HKJC #horseracing #KermDin #KellyMeacock #TabtouchRadio #BarbaroButchers