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It was a complete wipe-out at Sha Tin on Sunday. A terrible day. Really, I could not hit a cow’s arse with a banjo lately but not to worry. Things can only improve.

It’s the A track at The Valley tomorrow thus giving hope to those drawn wide. The going should be fast and having taken a cursory glance at the card, it could well be a Whyte-out. Douglas has some very good rides. Read the rest of this entry »

This is going to get the politically-correct and new parenthood crowd going: but it needs to be addressed. An early commuter ferry this morning was packed as usual. There were two elders in wheelchairs. There is only one purpose-built bay for a wheelchair on fast ferries. So the other blocked the aisle. Also blocking the aisles were a couple of pushchairs. One was the size of a small Volvo station wagon and was equipped with accessories capable of sustaining a rally car crew crossing the Sahara.

In an emergency, would these wheelchairs/pushchairs cause loss of life or serious injury? Yes they would. They are unrestrained. They are heavy. Surely for safety’s sake they should be removed to a point of safety and anchored in a fashion so as to prevent them careening around and causing injury should the ferry suffer a crash or turbulence. Read the rest of this entry »

On the C track at The Valley on Wednesday it must have been the first time since I arrived on these shores that there was not a winner from trap 1. I have lost count the number of times that I have spent an uncomfortable tram ride back to Central from Happy Valley whence winners on the C have flown in left right and centre and I have berated myself for not sticking with the winning trap throughout. And then, when I go for it - nothing.

I did manage a couple of winners on Wednesday but made a balls of it in the last two races. Drink and gambling never did mix.

Tomorrow is a mixed card from Sha Tin. Read the rest of this entry »

Lantaulink was intrigued to read Albert “Tai Pan” Cheng’s latest attack on RTHK in today’s South China Morning Post. While Ighlander has no problem with iconoclasts, and agrees that RTHK ’s management needs a kick up the bum, Ighlander was surprised that neither Cheng nor the SCMP saw fit to mention that Cheng is involved with a company called Wave Media, which proposes to launch its own radio station to compete with RTHK.

Wave Media has applied to erect a powerful radio transmitter on Finger Hill, Peng Chau. A number of residents of Peng Chau, Disco Bay and Mui Wo are unhappy about it. Click here for details. They have written to, among others, the SCMP, to object. At least one letter has appeared in the paper. Guess the SCMP section editors don’t read their own paper too closely.

As I have previously said, investing in horse flesh helps one face up to adversity. If you followed my tips on Sunday you would have either topped yourself or you could have become a more rounded person for the experiance.

All in all, following that load of shite your problems with the drunken, violent husband … the nagging wife, getting the sack+getting pulled for drunk driving+arriving home to find the house had burnt down and other such minor problems, would pale into insignificance if you had backed  those infernal creatures on Sunday.

Fortunately, the first went in at short odds. Unfortunately giving me false hope. The killer was the tierce. I had the winner, the second and the other sod was beaten into 4th by a nose. What a bastard.

The Cup tomorrow in Melbourne and as usual, a contingent from Europe run and as usual they will duff. Horses do not travel well and at the end of a long season racing, they are generally over the hill. However, The Sheik Mohammed and such folks have to have a runner in The Cup so so be it. Maybe Prebble can win it for New Zealand.  Who knows. Read the rest of this entry »

From Daniela of Peng Chau:

“This weekend we heard that the District Lands Office, Islands has received an application for a short term (apparently 10 years) tenancy at a site in Peng Chau for the purpose of an AM810KW Radio Transmission site.

“This is an incredibly powerful transmitter. In fact nobody I’ve spoken to appeared to know about this until this weekend even though a notice was issued by the Lands Department on the 24 October inviting objections within only 14 days of the letter (7 November 2008). We found out by accident when a local resident went for a walk and found that excavation had already started at the site!

“I don’t know many people in Mui Wo or DB but I think that this might effect you, or at least I think you should be aware of the potential health risks. Even if you are unsure it would help a great deal if you could join us in writing a letter to the government objecting. I have included a draft letter at the bottom of this post for your convenience. I have also appended a flyer illustrating the potential health risks. Read the rest of this entry »

From Jenny Quinton of Ark Eden on Lantau:

Most of these past few months I have been fairly flat out with work and weekends I’ve been doing long 30-50km hikes and running up mountains before breakfast! Why have I been doing such crazy things? I’m part of a team who will hike 100km next Friday November 7, 2008, to raise money for the charity, Oxfam. Target about 25 hours. Our mission: to encourage each other along the way, facing every difficulty together. 100km, 100% against poverty. Read the rest of this entry »

On the dirt track at Sha Tin on Wednesday, things went as expected. The Great Benevolent One coined it in much to the punters’ expense. For a moment I did think my tip Ample Gains was going to win when thing burst clear with the post in sight. Alas, that bastard Beadman came from the clouds and snatched the race at the death. Caught close to home, the story of my life. Sha Tin tomorrow and its all on the turf. There’s a winner in every race and they are there to be found. Read the rest of this entry »

You are invited to join us for a Pot Luck BBQ on the farm on Saturday, 1st November starting at 3:00-3:30.

Directions: Driving/walking out of, or into Mui Wo along the South Lantau Road, follow signs to the Cemetery – first turning right down the hill from Nam Shan. Drive/walk all the way up the hill to the cul-de-sac (there is parking here for those that need it) and then follow balloons along the path to the Farm.

Aim of the day: To have fun and introduce people to the farm and the benefits it could bring the South Lantau community. Read the rest of this entry »

‘Arry Boy worked the oracle for Spurs on Sunday and duly buggered our bet on Bolton. And then the horse, New Chapter, found the very slow pace against thing and could not quite peg back the front runner. Tsk.

Alas, all was not lost. In race 7, there could be only four realistically in with a shout. Did all four in a multiple tierce and they came in. 2/1, 10/1, 14/1. Very nice-or it should have been. Even at such attractive odds, it only paid 66/1. Either The Great Benevolent One is cooking the books or half of Hong Kong really was on those three.

Anyway … Read the rest of this entry »