HK updates, etc.

[my miss storm cat]

Tuesday barrier trials.....

WELCOME BACK, HELLO PRETTY!!!

(Wins batch 2)...

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

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Feel better, Singing Dinners and Winning Pal.

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Retired.....

Super Winfield, Shining Day, Lucky Man

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Race 8 - THE CHINESE NEW YEAR CUP (HANDICAP)
Saturday, February 09, 2008, Sha Tin, 16:05
Turf ,"A" Course ,1400m

Prize Money: $1,600,000.00, Rating: 120-95, Race Class: 1

Horse No. Colour Horse Wt. Trainer Horse Wt. (Declaration) Rtg. Jockey Draw Brand No. Gear Rtg.+/- Wt.+/- (vs Declaration)
1 JOYFUL WINNER 133 J Moore 120 C Soumillon 1 E045 TT -1 -
2 GREEN TREASURE 131 C Fownes 118 C K Tong (-5) 8 D225 XB/TT 0 -
3 RIVER JORDAN 127 J Moore 114 D Beadman 6 G194 TT 0 -
4 ROYAL PRINCE 126 A S Cruz 113 B Prebble 9 H072 TT 0 -
5 DANACOURT 124 J Moore 111 D Whyte 4 E228 H -1 -
6 REGENCY HORSE 119 D E Ferraris 106 O Doleuze 10 E229 B/TT -2 -
7 SURVEY SURVEY 118 A S Cruz 105 K L Chui (-5) 3 H070 XB/TT -1 -
8 SILVER SUN 113 C H Yip 100 C W Wong (-5) 5 E126 0 -
9 FIRM OFFER 113 D E Ferraris 98 S K Sit (-2) 11 E008 SR 5 -
10 SUPER TRAVELLER 113 A Schutz 96 E Wilson 2 H275 7 -
11 FULL OF JOY 113 A Lee 95 H W Lai (-3) 12 G293 5 -
12 TCHAIKOVSKY 113 D J Hall 95 Y T Cheng (-2) 7 E030 B 0 -

[my miss storm cat]

HKJC donates to relief funds on mainland China 5 Feb 2008

Hong Kong Jockey Club

HKJC donates HK$10m to help snowstorm-affected people on the Mainland; also calls on public to donate lai see and pledges matching amount

The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced today (5 February) that it will make an immediate emergency donation of HK$10 million to the Hong Kong Red Cross China Relief Fund, in response to the snowstorms on the Mainland which have now affected more than 100 million people.

The Club will also organise a fund raising drive, Action Red Packets, from 8 to 12 February, calling on the public to donate the lai see money they receive over Chinese New Year. Collection boxes will be set up at the Club's 107 Off-Course Betting Branches, three clubhouses and two racecourses (on CNY raceday only), as well as the Headquarters building at Happy Valley.

Club Chairman Mr John C C Chan said that along with other Hong Kong people, the Club was deeply concerned about the situation of the 100 million or more people across 20 Mainland provinces who were suffering the effects of the snowstorms. "We hope that our emergency donation can help relieve about 200,000 victims in the 10 most severely hit provinces and provide them with food, warm clothing, quilts and emergency supplies," he said. The provinces and municipalities involved are Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Anhui, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan and Xinjiang.

"We hope that our fund raising drive can likewise bring relief to those affected at this difficult time, as well as demonstrating the close relationship and supportive spirit of Hong Kong people to their Mainland compatriots," Mr Chan added.

"To promote active public participation, the Club will double the amount contributed by making a matching donation for every single dollar collected from the public, racing fans and Club staff, up to a maximum matching donation of HK$20 million," he pledged.

All funds raised by the Club, together with its matching donation, will be donated to help snowstorm-affected people on the Mainland.

[my miss storm cat]

No time for analysis but Happy New Year to all the kids.

Race 4... behave Fifty Fifty!

Good luck to Whiplash (R10) and to Wait For Me (won't win but whatever).

One to watch...... 2nd start for Viva Hong Kong in the final.

Last in his first start but, well I won't make excuses but we shall see. (He did have heart irregularity after when checked by the vets).

For those who can't keep up with name changes, this is Kid Mambo.

The big race? Stuck between Joyful Winner, Regency Horse (who i just can't seem to give up on), Survey Survey and Danacourt (welcome back).

Brett has the mount on Royal Prince so the rest might be fighting for 2nd but a nice, nice field. Can't wait to catch the replay.

Come home safe.

[my miss storm cat]

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.

[my miss storm cat]

Race 7 - THE CHAIRMAN'S SPRINT PRIZE
Sunday, February 17, 2008, Sha Tin, 16:05
Turf ,"A+3" Course ,1200m

Prize Money: $4,500,000.00, Rating: -, Race Class: HONG KONG GROUP 1

Horse No. Colour Horse Wt. Trainer Horse Wt. (Declaration) Rtg. Jockey Draw Brand No. Gear Rtg.+/- Wt.+/- (vs Declaration)
1 SACRED KINGDOM 126 P F Yiu 130 G Mosse 2 G268 TT 0 -
2 ABSOLUTE CHAMPION 126 D J Hall 126 B Prebble 5 E060 SW 0 -
3 SCINTILLATION 126 C S Shum 119 G Boss 4 C228 XB/H -1 -
4 EGYPTIAN RA 126 D J Hall 117 Z Purton 1 E002 0 -
5 MEDIC POWER 126 P O'Sullivan 115 D Whyte 7 G303 0 -
6 ABLE PRINCE 126 J Moore 113 D Beadman 3 C348 SW/TT 0 -
7 PLANET RULER 126 A Lee 110 O Doleuze 6 B359 2 -
8 HELENE BRILLIANT 126 A S Cruz 104 C Soumillon 8 H174 TT -1 -


Race 9 - THE MERCEDES-BENZ HONG KONG DERBY TRIAL
Sunday, February 17, 2008, Sha Tin, 17:10
Turf ,"A+3" Course ,1800m

Prize Money: $3,000,000.00, Rating: -, Race Class: HONG KONG GROUP 2

Horse No. Colour Horse Wt. Trainer Horse Wt. (Declaration) Rtg. Jockey Draw Brand No. Gear Rtg.+/- Wt.+/- (vs Declaration)
1 GREEN BIRDIE 126 C Fownes 108 O Doleuze 4 H245 0 -
2 NEVER LOOK BACK 126 P O'Sullivan 105 G Mosse 10 J043 0 -
3 HELENE MASCOT 126 A S Cruz 102 F Coetzee 2 J164 TT 8 -
4 AMBITIOUS GENERAL 126 D J Hall 100 Z Purton 7 J066 TT -3 -
5 GREAT GUY 126 A S Cruz 99 S K Sit 5 H112 TT 0 -
6 FEARLESS 126 D E Ferraris 97 D Whyte 11 H301 5 -
7 HORACE'S CHOICE 126 C Fownes 94 G Boss 6 H169 TT 5 -
8 LUCKYME 126 A S Cruz 94 Y T Cheng 13 H012 TT 0 -
9 LU YUE 126 C H Yip 92 B Prebble 8 H278 B/H 8 -
10 VISIONARIO 126 S Woods 91 E Wilson 9 J095 H1 -2 -
11 EYSHAL 126 J Moore 90 D Beadman 1 J099 B-/TT 0 -
12 WIN PRACTITIONER 126 C Fownes 87 C Soumillon 12 G180 B 4 -
13 DANESIS 126 A S Cruz 79 W M Lai 3 H194 TT 3 -

(Bullish Win is out, damnit).

[my miss storm cat]

Helene Mascot is sore and probably out.....

[my miss storm cat]

I'm just gonna try really hard not to knock Tony Cruz here.

SCMP.....

Friday, February 15, 2008

Mascot foot problem not a worry for Cruz


MURRAY BELL

Trainer Tony Cruz is confident that a training setback this week will not hinder Sunday's Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby Trial favourite Helene Mascot, despite a veterinary opinion that the colt was lame after working yesterday.

Helene Mascot, brilliant winner of the Group One Classic Mile on January 20 at his first Hong Kong start, has been suffering from corns on the soles of both front feet. But a particularly painful one forced Cruz to abandon the colt's gallop last Sunday.

"Helene Mascot has had these issues with both front feet since he got here, but between the vets, the farriers and ourselves we are managing them," Cruz said yesterday.

"On Sunday morning, he was quite sore in the right front foot and I would not gallop him. The corn was cut away on Monday and he's recovered well. Every day, he's been better and better."

Yesterday, it was imperative that he gallop if he was to take his place in the Group Two Derby Trial (1,800m), the middle leg of the four-year-old triple crown. Not only did he gallop, but he worked impressively with stablemate Great Guy, clocking 46.5 seconds for 800 metres on turf down the riverside, the second half in 22.4 seconds.

After the gallop, Helene Mascot was inspected by Jockey Club veterinary officer Kenneth Lam Kah-ho, who told stewards the horse was still sore in that right front foot. The horse was later attended by a club farrier.

Cruz said the troublesome foot should continue to improve, and he was confident the son of 1997 European champion Peintre Celebre will make it to Sunday's race.

Felix Coetzee will again handle Helene Mascot on Sunday. Christophe Soumillon has switched to Win Practitioner for trainer Caspar Fownes, and Canadian Emma-Jayne Wilson takes over Visionario.