HK updates, etc.

He tried! He'll do better next time .

Thanks for the results, mmsc! I've been looking forward to seeing how he would do .

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by snowdrops

He tried! He'll do better next time .

Thanks for the results, mmsc! I've been looking forward to seeing how he would do .

Next time is right!

* * *

Howie gets some press for once.....

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Cheng lays claim to October 1 monopoly
Local ace wins National Day Cup for fourth time

MURRAY BELL


The Jockey Club might have to consider renaming the National Day feature the Howard Cheng Cup, with the leading local rider yesterday adding to his already amazing record in the race, this time with 32-1 chance Tiber.
Cheng has won four of the last five National Day Cups and did not have a ride in the other year. They've all been at double-figure prices too - Prime Witness (70-1 in 2003), Fokine (10-1 in 2005) and Flaming Lamborgini (11-1) last year.

This year, Cheng even scoffed at suggestions that his National Day luck could be extended even further and was as amazed as anyone when the John Moore-trained Tiber was able to hold off the late thrust of the unfortunate favourite Pocket Money.

"Even when people told me this horse had a chance, I did not believe them," Cheng laughed later. "But my luck in this race is just incredible, I cannot explain it. Even after I've won and been to the trophy presentation, I still don't believe it."

Part of Cheng's luck started in the paddock when Tiber - renowned for getting hot and upset before his races - was cool and serene, showing his years of local experience is finally counting for something.

But on the way out of the paddock and onto the course, it was a more vintage version of Tiber that came to the fore.

"Just as we were coming onto the track, he put on a real turn - he got very upset and was throwing his head around quite violently," Cheng said. "But once I got him out onto the turf, and cantered off, he settled down again."

For those new in town, seeing Tiber on the limit weight of 113 pounds in this Group Three handicap, they could be forgiven for thinking this was a lower-grade horse that scrambled a victory with a big pull in the handicaps.

But Tiber has already been to the top of the tree. The Irish-bred gelding is now seven, but as a four-year-old in 2004 he won the Group One Classic Mile and finished a gallant second to Lucky Owners in the Hong Kong Derby.

Moore confessed the win was as big a surprise to the stable as it was to most punters, though some clever shoppers trimmed him down from $520 to start at $330 (for $10).

"His work hadn't been great and, I have to be honest, it's quite a surprise. But it's one of these things that can happen in these early Group races when the horses are fresh, and a horse like Tiber has such a light weight," Moore said.

"I told Howard that Egyptian Ra would lead, and to use Tiber's light weight to go and sit outside him. This horse has always run us a good race fresh, and I'm very pleased for his owners, who have been great clients for a long time, that he's given them another big win."

Moore was three handed in the race and there was some encouragement for the future from Champions Mile hero Able One (Zac Purton), who finished fifth but only 1 1/4 lengths from the winner in a bunched finish.

"I thought he was a bit unlucky," Moore continued. "Purton told me there was three-quarters of a gap there for the horse, it wasn't enough - he should have been a lot closer. He was the one that seemed to be going very well and I would have liked Darren (Beadman) to ride him."

As for Joyful Winner (Beadman, 11th), Moore said the failed trip to Japan for the Yasuda Kinen in June has exacted its toll once again.

Jockey Felix Coetzee said runner-up Pocket Money was a good thing beaten, with a sharp early check costing the John Size-trained gelding important ground.

[my miss storm cat]

The greatest barrier trials of the season..... (so far)...

http://www.hkjc.com/english/press/btrs.asp

Tuesday, Oct 2
Batch 3

Viva Macau D.Beadman 3 J.Moore SW 2 2 1 - (he is NOT a rabbit)
Industrial Express D.Whyte 2 J.Size 1 1 2 3 1/4
Vital King B.Prebble 5 P.O'Sullivan 5 5 3 2 1/4
Flying Profile C.K.Tong 1 D.Cruz SW 3 3 4 -
Ever Bright O.Doleuze 4 P.O'Sullivan 4 4 5 -

Batch 4

Medic Power B.Prebble 6 P.O'Sullivan 2 1 1 -
Winning Reward H.W.Lai 5 K.W.Lui B 1 2 2 1/2
Bullish Luck K.L.Chui 3 A.S.Cruz B 8 4 3 3/4
Viva Pataca D.Beadman 2 J.Moore H 10 8 4 -
Full Of Joy G.Mosse 10 A.Lee 9 9 5 -
Express Win Y.T.Cheng 7 C.H.Yip 5 5 6 -
Gallant Lion S.Dye 9 C.Fownes 3 6 7 -
Upside Of Anger G.Boss 8 P.O'Sullivan 6 3 8 -
King Encosta Z.Purton 4 A.S.Cruz 7 7 9 -
Maribeau D.Whyte 11 J.Size 4 10 10 -

Wonder if Tony Cruz is screaming at the announcer for calling Bullish luck Bullish Cash. Hmmm...

Bullish Cash just ran, incase he has fans here.

* * *

I love this...

Excerpt.....

China Sportfield will never make the annals of the all-time greats and is unlikely even to be the best horse raced by Peter Yu Kam-ching, but his win in the opener yesterday - with not a protest in sight - put a beaming smile on his owner's face.

"He's a very happy man," said trainer Paul O'Sullivan as he got off the mark for the term.

Last season, China Sportfield (Marco Chui Kwan-lai) was first past the post twice at Happy Valley before losing the race in the stewards' room, but his maiden win yesterday left no room for doubt.

"In his protests, he shifted out both times to lose the race but today he wanted to get in," O'Sullivan said.

"But I think Marco hit the nail on the head - he said the horse doesn't really run in or out, he just runs towards the nearest horse."

[my miss storm cat]

Anthony Delpech gets a 6 week ban.....

Now who gets the VOR mount?

This sucks.

[my miss storm cat]

HKJC.....

APPEAL - Jockey A Delpech

3 October 2007

Jockey A Delpech has lodged notice of his intention to appeal against the penalty of suspension from riding in races for a period to expire on 15 November 2007 imposed by the Racing Stewards on 2 October 2007 for breaching Rule 99(2) and (3).

The Stewards have suspended the operation of this penalty in accordance with Rule 23(5) of the Rules of Racing pending hearing of the Appeal. However, Jockey A Delpech is still required to serve the penalty of suspension for the two race meetings scheduled to be conducted on 17 October and 21 October 2007 as a result of his careless riding offence incurred on 26 September 2007 which is not the subject of Appeal.

[Scurlogue Champ]

That suspension handed to Delpech is bullshit.

I reckon if you watch all of the races from Australia tonight, you will see a move just like that in every race.

Even at the city meets.

Complete nonsense.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by Scurlogue Champ

That suspension handed to Delpech is bullshit.

I reckon if you watch all of the races from Australia tonight, you will see a move just like that in every race.

Even at the city meets.

Complete nonsense.

Agreed.

Ummm, I think you should ride VOR.

* * *

SCMP.....

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Delpech puts Vengeance ride on the line to defend his name

ALAN AITKEN

Anthony Delpech spent one of the toughest days of his professional life yesterday, torn between his reputation and his long-time partnership with champion galloper Vengeance Of Rain, before lodging an appeal against a six-week riding ban.
The South African was stunned on Tuesday with an 11-meeting suspension, after Jockey Club stewards found him guilty of not taking all reasonable and permissible measures to win on fast-finishing runner-up Spare A Dime last week at Sha Tin.

The rider had to choose between contesting an "unfair" verdict and continuing his partnership with Vengeance Of Rain. "I wanted to appeal because I'm not guilty," Delpech (pictured) said yesterday. "But my appeal isn't likely to be heard for six or seven weeks and if it isn't upheld, I will not be able to ride Vengeance Of Rain on International day."

Delpech has been the only rider aboard Vengeance Of Rain since January 2005, for 17 starts and nine wins, including the world's joint-richest turf race, the Dubai Sheema Classic.

"It was a difficult decision because the owners of Vengeance Of Rain have been so loyal and so good to me and I did have them to think about, too," Delpech said. "But I had fought so hard on Tuesday about my innocence that, in the end, I felt it wasn't being fair to myself if I just accepted this decision.

"I've never been questioned in this way in 24 years of riding and although the stewards have penalised me for what they thought was an error of judgment, this is a rule that people everywhere read in a certain way that isn't very flattering for your reputation. That's why I decided in the end to fight it. I just don't want something like this on my record."

It is normal practice for the stewards to set aside a penalty pending the hearing of an appeal, so Delpech will be free to ride in the immediate future until a two-meeting careless riding ban from the same ride on Spare A Dime takes effect on October 15. Then, if the appeal does not take place until mid-November, as Delpech believes, he will be able to pilot Vengeance Of Rain in his return race for the season, the Group Two Cathay Pacific International Mile Trial on November 17.

But his participation on December 9 at the International showpiece fixture will then depend on the outcome of the appeal.