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WINX REWRITES HER OWN AMAZING NEXT CHAPTER

By Hans Ebert
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It might have answered the question about who’s really in charge. And it’s not Charles. Winx winning the Turnbull Stakes on Saturday was not just a Houdini act. It was an extraordinary horse showing off. Playing. Toying with everyone. Probably exploring new ways of winning.

Who knows what’s going through her mind? Now that she’s done it all and more, and with nothing else to prove, one can only assume that she’s decided to expand her repertoire.

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KARIS TEETAN: IT’S HIS TIME

By Hans Ebert
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Sometimes the script rewrites itself. Probably more often than we think. To those who follow Hong Kong racing, the mantra that the void left following Joao Moreira’s decision to roll the dice and try to ride in Japan on a full time basis has means “more opportunities for everyone else” has become a wee bit tiresome. It’s stating the obvious. Over and over again.

As in Seize The Day, when opportunities present themselves, it’s up to those who are ready, able and willing to step up to the plate. To hit that ball outta the park. And keep hitting those home runs.

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HORSE RACING AND “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?”

By Hans Ebert
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“No doubt. The very wealthy are making it impossible for we schmucks to compete. That’s why we’re out. Saw the writing on the wall. And they’ve taken all the fun out of it too. If you’re a galley slave you need to have a bit of fun, but they have everyone working too hard and being miserable with it. But they just keep banging the drum, chuck the mugs overboard and care about no one but themselves.”

A.Non

They’re intangibles. Things like motivation. And inspiration. There’s then always about ensuring that priorities are not lost in the clutter. Real priorities. Not the small stuff. But, for various reasons, many of us are bogged down by the small stuff. Perhaps even addicted to them. Scared of them.

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SIMON FULLER AND THE SAME OLD STORY OF NOW UNITED

By Hans Ebert
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My daughter Taryn was fortunate enough to work for Simon Fuller. It was for what was then his fledgling artist management company called 19. This was when the company was busy trying to break the very poppy UK group SClub7.

Actually, the pop group had made it. Kinda. They had their own television series. Rachel Stevens especially looked like making it as a solo artist. She had the looks. Something like a young Victoria Beckham.

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WHY (JOHN) SIZE MATTERS AND THE CONGA LINE OUTSIDE HIS DOOR

By Hans Ebert
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The wooing process has begun in earnest. It’s been bubbling loudly ever since Joao Moreira upped and bade Sayanora to Hong Kong. The wooing process to take over from the magic man as the Go To jockey for champion trainer John Size.

Why? Size matters. He knows exactly how to play the Hong Kong handicapping system. And, more often than not, beat it at its own game. Plus he’s extremely savvy when purchasing horses for his owners. Nothing soooooo expensive and which screams out at the stupidity of showing off that exclusively Hong Kong and Singaporean vanity piece called buying “face”.

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HONG KONG RACING AND HOME

By Hans Ebert
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My girlfriend asked me this morning why I should be happy that turnover and attendance figures were up for the HKJC after the races at Sha Tin yesterday. What was in it for me? A bonus? A hug? For turnover of HK$1.493,511,869. Up 6.47 percent. Attendance: 38,097. Up 16.73 percent.

Fair question from someone who has no interest in horse racing. A Chinese educated in the US. Possibly lost between the moon and New York City. And being the intelligent person that she is, the answer couldn’t be something pat. There had to be meat to the bones. It also needed some personal internalising. Explaining why the race meeting was a win for Hong Kong. And on National Day.

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WHATEVER…

By Hans Ebert
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Now this is more like it- a ten race meeting at Shatin where some of Hong Kong’s better gallopers are stepping out for the first time this season. Plus a splattering of relative newcomers who might have that ammunition for the future. Did someone mention Tianchi Monster? Bigwood? Cruising? Blue Steel?

Though much has been made out of the Group 3 Celebration Cup and the re-appearance of last season’s Horse Of The Year Beauty Generation, this is looking more like “click bit”. It’s an extremely interesting race with a number of runners from last season who might be back with a bigger bang this time around.

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SLAMMING THE DOOR SHUT ON CLUTTER

By Hans Ebert
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Pulverising the senses with non-stop clutter. That’s how a friend describes it. Life in today’s social media mad driven would where, try as one might to escape the tsunami of information and misinformation and information overload that we certainly don’t even need, it catches up with you. And it’s getting worse. It’s the great plague of our time. It’s what negatively affects us with everything. Yet, many keep going to that well… To the abyss.

Left Facebook and Instagram. Updating both accounts had taken over. Taken over from trying to make my real life relationship with someone go somewhere. It was my compulsive personality running the show. She tried to wean me off it. Go cold turkey. Get out more. Exercise. Sexercise. Cook. But it didn’t work. She walked.

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IS HORSE RACING DOWN UNDER BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE?

By Hans Ebert
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Horse racing, especially in the kingdom called Down Under is under siege. Frankly, more and more, it’s under siege. And always by itself. It’s really not a good ‘look’. Especially from the outside looking in.

Collectively and without exception, this incongruous and motley group, are putting in Award winning performances. For what? To stake their claim in the Top 10 least respected and most disliked category. Add most goofy to that. They really should have an awards show. On Twitter.

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THE GAUCH (AND HORSE RACING ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE)

By Hans Ebert
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There’s a new book out by Kristen Manning on the jockey known to many in racing as The Gauch. Darren Gauci.

Though occasionally seeing him, especially after the night meetings at Happy Valley when he was riding in Hong Kong, I only got to really meet the gentleman over a coffee when in Melbourne. That was almost two years ago. It was at Mr Hives in the Crown. We talked. We joked. Got to know each other as well as one can in a couple of hours.

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