The exacta of Joy.....
http://racing.scmp.com/freeservice/n...ws20080210.asp
(Check out the bolded part, Snowdrops).....
Lai makes historic start to Year of Rat
MURRAY BELL
Alex Lai throws everything at Full Of Joy and the five-year-old responds gamely to claim his biggest victory ¡V The Chinese New Year Cup. Photos: Kenneth Chan
Just three weeks ago Almond Lee Yee-tat would have been happy to win a race - any race - with his long-time maiden Full Of Joy. And thoughts of winning a feature race with the five-year-old would barely have entered his mind.
But yesterday at Sha Tin, amid the lion dancers, marching bands and other sundry entertainment for the Lunar New Year, there was Lee, improbably having prepared the winner of the Chinese New Year Cup and scarcely believing his luck at the start of the Year of the Rat. "Very lucky, what else can I say?" he said, answering a question with a question.
"I really didn't think he could win, coming back from 1,600 to 1,400 metres, but I have to give credit to the boy [Alex Lai Hoi-wing], he rode him very well."
Lee said Full Of Joy had been a major frustration to the stable, often having bad luck with wide barriers and taking until his 12th start to break through for a win on January 20 - and on that occasion, ironically, he should have been beaten. And once again yesterday, the Australian private purchase was drawn wide, in barrier 12.
"The difference today was that he got across fairly comfortably," Lee said. "I told the boy to push him out fast from the barrier, but not to get into a speed duel with Tchaikovsky.
"Full credit to Alex, his judgment of pace was very good. He backed off Full Of Joy after 400 metres and that allowed Howard Cheng to steady the tempo on the leader. Once that happened, our horse was perfectly placed, forward in a race with moderate tempo, and with a light weight."
Cheng and trainer David Hall were probably thinking the same thing about Tchaikovsky, but the bold frontrunner suddenly had a bleeding attack in the straight and so ended his hopes.
He ultimately faded to finish ninth but was only 2 1/2 lengths from the winner.
Full Of Joy, firming late into 22-1, was the biggest upset in the 10-year history of the race, which has traditionally been a launching pad for future Group One horses.
Two years ago, it heralded the arrival of Joyful Winner, who won the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup at Group One level two months later, and last year it was won emphatically by the brilliant Good Ba Ba.
Lai claimed his own piece of history by becoming the first Chinese jockey to win the race, and Full Of Joy denied Joyful Winner the privilege of becoming the first dual winner by a mere neck.
Christophe Soumillon said Joyful Winner tried his heart out with his topweight of 133 pounds, and the story of the race was written in the handicaps, with his mount conceding Full Of Joy 23 pounds.