By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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It was always on the cards, but it’s still tough to absorb and accept. Around two years ago or a bit longer, one heard about Joao Moreira studying reading and writing Japanese, prerequisites to obtaining a permanent license to ride in Japan as a foreign jockey, something Christophe Lemaire and Mirco Demuro had to do before being accepted by the JRA.
Continue reading “JOAO MOREIRA BIDS ADIOS TO HONG KONG. WHO’S SURPRISED?”
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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“When they asked for his support, he almost always turned them down because he had better options. Now when it’s coming to the end of the season and there are many tired horses going around and some good new ones, and he needs good rides, many won’t or can’t support him.” Oh what a tangled web we weave.
A friend in the Chinese racing media was trying to explain the sudden shift away from the usually much in-demand Joao Moreira and many trainers throwing their support behind Zac Purton as this season’s Hong Kong Jockeys Premiership comes down to a two horse race between two superb athletes.
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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Many talk about there being only one Sri Lankan restaurant- AJ’s in Sai Kung, which is okay, and serves its version of lamprais- rice, curry, sambals and a hard boiled egg served inside a banana leaf- but being a Burgher from what was Ceylon, it’s not exactly what mother made. Maybe Hong Kong is lacking in the proper ingredients needed. Pepper is no substitute.
Continue reading “SERENDIB: KEEPING IT SIMPLE AND SRI LANKAN”
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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There was an extra spring in his step as Zac Purton sashayed out of Sha Tin racecourse on Sunday. After basically calling Joao Moreira a bit of a cry baby in a freewheeling interview the day before for blaming the lack of his usual sombrero of winners on not having enough stable support due to his own inability to choose the best rides, the Australian Zac Attack managed to keep the Brazilian Magic Man’s lead to just three as the Batman and The Joker of Hong Kong racing continue to stir the pot and play mind games with each other.
Continue reading “WHY IS HORSE RACING TAKING SO LONG TO GET TO WHEREVER IT’S GOING?”
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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There was a time when terrestrial television station HKTVB Pearl had an animated character named Freddy to tell viewers what to expect the next day.
Why? Who knows? But every day, Freddy would either melt, or his teeth would chatter and to symbolise a drop in temperature, clouds would fall down over Freddy who would squeal that “It’s faaaaaaaaliiiiing”.
Continue reading “HAS HORSE RACING ON TWITTER RUN ITS RACE?”
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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Twitter has made everyone think they’re a “writer” though many still don’t know the difference between “they’re”, “their” and “there”, which, one supposes, is no different to many calling themselves “musicians” because they can tap a few keys on their laptop to “create” some sounds.
It’s become a push button world where everything has been reduced to being accepted by those with a minimum attention span as there’s just so much of everything and this voracious appetite to inhale it all in and damned the torpedoes of selectivity and exclusivity.
Continue reading “IF THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE, HOW MANY MEDIUMS REALLY WORK FOR HORSE RACING?”
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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It was after the races at Sha Tin and I was at a hotel lounge surrounded by mainly expats wearing bow ties and talking loudly about “the locals”. Nothing wrong with this and power to the bow tie and the expat lifestyle enjoyed in Hong Kong with its expat packages and fringe benefits. Or is there?
Continue reading “THE DAY A NEW STAR SHONE BRIGHTLY ON HONG KONG RACING”
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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“It’s a given”. “It’s a moral”. “All Tommy needs to do is just sit on him”. “He just needs to be ridden on a long rein.”
For the last week, that’s all many have heard about how Pakistan Star will win the Champions and Chater Cup this afternoon with new race rider Tommy Berry aboard and who’s twice trialled one of the fascinating horses we have come across.
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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It’s not so much that he’s lost his mojo, but realising that even magic men run out of tricks or that others learn new ones which work better.
Happy Valley has never been happy hunting grounds for Joao Moreira and he’ll be the first to admit it. And though he rode a double, at least to someone who’s written about him being “poetry in motion” and “being one with the horse”, what at least I saw on Happy Wednesday looked like a desperate chihuahua zig zagging all over the place and getting two winners, but, overall, looking nothing out of the ordinary. He must have been having an off day.
By Hans Ebert
@hanseberthk
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And so “American Idol” and “The Voice” had their finales a day apart from each other. Who won? Anyone care? Really?
Having watched each sporadically and appalled at the lack of talent on both shows, the programming/content/whatever proved just how much the world has changed and as Pete Towshend wrote, We Won’t Get Fooled Again.
Continue reading “THE SHUCK AND JIVE OF “AMERICAN IDOL” AND “THE VOICE””
