Platinum Racing

With just three meetings to gon the Hong Kong calendar, Aussie trainer John Moore trailled Tony Cruz by six wins in the trainer's premiership.

But by race 10 at Shatin today - it was all over - Moore had not only reeled Cruz in but had raced to a two win lead and there was only race remaining. It was a herculean training effort, capped off with four winners on tday's card, three ridden by champion Aussie jockey Darren Beadman, who is Moore's stable rider.

Ironically Moore, despite having often topped the prizemoney standings, had not won a Hong Kong trainer's premiership since the 1994-95 season - when he shared the podium with Cruz who was the leading jockey in Hong Kong that season.

Cruz retired the next season when he won on Super Team on New year's Day in 1996 and he has gone on to win two trainer's titles. In recent years John Size and Caspar Fownes have dominated the premierships with Moore always finishing in the top three or four.

Champion South African hoop Douglas Whyte won his 11th straight Hong Kong jockey's title with 97 wins - and unlike last year where he had a titanic struggle with Australian rider Brett Prebble, "Dougie" brained his rivals this year.

HONG KONG READY TO RAID OUR SPRING:

We have seen River Verdon, Super Kidd, Able One, Elegant Fashion, Mr Medici, All Thrills Too and a couple of other Hong Kong horses make the trek to the Melbourne Spring Carnival over the years - but this year it looks like John Moore is preparing an all out onlsaught on the Spring Carnival.

He has already announced he will be bringing Xtension and Irian to Melbourne and following the win of Silver Grecian today - do not be surprised if he makes the trek with his stablemates.

David Ferraris has also announced that he will bring the highly promising Griffin, Bear Hero to Melbourne in the spring. Bear Hero was today named Hong Kong's Griffin Of The Year.

SPLITTING THE HONOURS:

The Hong Kong Jockey Club  inducted both Viva Pataca and Good Baa Baa into their racing hall of fame with their lifetime achievement awards today.

Both champions retired recently, Good Baa Baa (who joined Jim And Tonic as the only three time International race winner in HK when he won three consecutive Hong Kong Miles) and Viva Pataca who retired as the greatest stakes winner ever in Hong Kong.

WEICHONG WAVES GOODBYE:

Champion South African hoop Weichong Marwing farewelled Hong Kong racing in style today when he won the final race of the season for trainer David Ferraris on the sensationally backed Sweet Orange, who sent favourite backers into the 60 day recess with a smile on their faces by scoring.

Marwing is one of the great riders of the world. His win on Sweet Orange was his 297th in Hong Kong and his 32nd for this season. He has decided to pull the p;in on HK and return to South Africa. Marwing has ridden all over the world and his feature wins in Hong Kong include an International Mile on Olympic Express for the late Ivan Allen and a QEII International Cup in Orridescence for trainer Mike De Kock and leviathan owner Sheikh Mohammaed Bin Khalifa.

"HEAD TURNER" WINS JULY CUP:

There is a general feeling that British racing has some way to go to catch up with "the times" and I was astonished to see that it is 14 years since Alexandra Greaves was the last female jockey to win a Gr 1 race in the UK. That all changed yesterday when Hayley (or "Head Turner") as At The Races' John "Big Mac" McCririck calls her, landed the coveted British Sprint, the July Cup (1200 metres) at Newmarket on Dream Ahead for trainer David Simcock.

Turner only got the call up late invthe week to ride last year's equal top rated two year old when regular rider William Buick was required to ride at York and Jamie Spencer was riding in the USA for the weekend.

She rode theh orse tremendously well cutting through on the fence to be behind the leaders at the furlong market before gaining a split late and going on to win decisively.

Aussie galloper Star Witness, who ran as favourite, finished midfield and was a beaten horse at the furlong.

CAPE BLANCO WINS GR 1 IN THE STATES FOR O'BRIEN:

Despite finishing down the course in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot last time out, former Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner Cape Blanco returned to his brilliant best to deny Gio {Ponmti a record breaking third successive win in the Gr 1 Man Of War (11 furlongs) at Belmont Park in the USA yesterday.

Ridden by O'Brien's former stable jockey Jamie Spencer, Cape Blanco won easily from Gio Ponti and gave O'Brien his first win in the USA since 2009 when he won the Breeders Cup Marathon with Man Of Iron.

The horse is now likely to remain in the States for the Arlington Million next month.

AROUND THE TRAPS:

SUNSHINE COAST TRAINER Daryl Hansen continued his great recent run of success when he trained a winning double at yesterday's Eagle Farm meeting with Essington and the heavily backed Hampden and also won the 50K Mackay Cup with Hussonator, with top North Queensland jockey Adrian Coome aboard.

Hussonator won the Mackay feature from Shooting Scene, trained by Laurie Mayfield-Smith who had won a race at Eagle Farm yesterday also with Danagaze.

KYNETON TRAINER  Neil Dyer won the 45K Chief Minister's Cup at Fannie Bay in Darwin yesterday when Palmyra Boy, ridden by former Kiwi hoop Jan Cameron scored narrowly in a tooth and nail battle with Montego Bay, trained by Paul Trenwith and ridden by Libby Hopwood.

Dyer makes the sojourn up to the "Top End" each year with a team for the major carnival and went within an ace of a double as Mr Butterscotch was beaten narrowly earlier on the card. Former David Hayes apprentice Paul Shiers and Craig Moon both rode doubles at the program.

Michael "Milo" McDuff, who has returned to race riding in Darwin after a battle with weight rode a winner on the card also. McDuff was one of the leading riders in the southern districts of NSW but moved to the NT where he feels the higher weight scale and warmer climate makes it easier to control his weight.

CAST-OFFS took out a few major races around the country in recent days. Yesterday Liberty Edition, formerly trained at Sale by Ian Hutchins, took out the Mungindi Cup in noth-western NSW with Ms R. Murray in the saddle.

Former Paul Perry galloper, Beau De Lago took out the Bundaberg Gold Cup on the dirt track in Queensland for jockey Trace O'Hara. While Tracey was booting home the feature winner at Bundaberg her sister Kathy had earlier won the first race on the card at Randwick on the Kiwi galloper, Aruriteson.

Meanwhile across in WA, former Bairnsdale trained galloper, Electronic Cross won the Skywest Cup with Nathan Stanley on board. Electronic Cross was formerly trained by Dave Harrison.

Another former Victorian, Snowy On The Tram, won his second picnic cup in just a few weeks when he won the Cowra Picnic Cup on Friday for Dubbo trainer Terry Fahey and jockey Pat Kelly.

BRENDAN WARD TOTALLY dominated the Acton track meeting at Canberra today when he landed four winners. Since moving to Canberra, Ward has gone from strength to strength. It was good to see my mate, trainer Mick Petrovic, continue his good recent run of success with another winner when Ten Of Hearts scored with Anelise King in the saddle.

Former Riverina jockey, Wayne "Bulldog" Kerford, wqho has been ensconced in South Australia for many years, had a red letter day on the dirt at Port Augusta this afternoon, riding three winners in a row, including the "Port" Cup on Pelekunu Valley. Originally the horse was raced by Mr Yoshida (of Pop Rock, Delta Blues and Eye Popper fame and owner of Shadai Farms).

RON QUINTON'S dimunitive apprentice Sam Clipperton landed his first winning double at the Nowra meeting on Friday when he won on Mewaan for Gosford trainer Grant Allard and Rype for Queanbeyan trainer Joe Cleary.

The boy has a future. He shared riding honours at the meeting with another promising apprentice, Shaun Guymer.

MS I CHANDLER kicked home three of the five winners at yesterday's Wean Picnic meeting in north-western NSW. The Cup was won by Segovian ridden by Ms J Lindgren.

DEATH OF MAURIE "MO" HARTNEY:

Former trotting trainer-driver, turned pro punter, come trackmen and racing man about the place, Mo Hartney died this week. Mo was a great money getter and as a trotting trainer and driver he always managed to get a good earn out of the game from only a small string from his Condell Park stables.

Mo's daughter Robyn was formerly racing manager for Gai Waterhouse before leaving to join the Patinack Farm team and his other daughter, Tricia Anderson trains at Young and her horses still race in Mo's trotting colours., red, green diamond and sleeves and red cap.

Ironically Tricia won a race at Cowra picnics on Friday - beating our horse, Jingellic, who finished second.