FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS
Though I have known his first boss- trainer Caspar Fownes- for over two decades, what I am sensing and seeing in the recent few weeks in various interviews is a refreshed and very confidently looking, and chilled Vincent CY Ho.
Known for being such an integral part of Team Golden Sixty, the champion Hong Kong miler who, though now retired at Northern Farms in Japan, has played an inspirational role in helping Vincent return to competitive race riding after a horrific accident is a story in itself.
It was also good to see Vincent amongst the winners during his reasonably quiet comeback to race riding at the last Hong Kong racing season, and looks to have a couple of young gallopers with plenty of potential waiting for him in the wings.
A lovely guy who I remember from when as an apprentice, riding a winner in Caspar’s magnificent “sixpeat” at Happy Valley all those years ago- Brett Prebble rode the other five- Vincent is becoming the elder statesman of Hong Kong riders while also having a good hard look at the opportunities out there for him.
In a recent interview after riding at Deauville quite telling was his awe after visiting Ireland for the first time and meeting the great man Aidan O’Brien and seeing the Ballydoyle setup, plus spending some time with trainer Roger Varian.
He also met up with Gerald Mosse and Eric Legrix, both of whom rode in Hong Kong for many years and have now made that successful transition into the training ranks and reaping the rewards.
Without him coming out and saying so, listening to Vincent and watching his body language and what he DOESN’T say, I would be willing to have a wager with anyone that being a trainer is the direction in which that he’s heading.
When this happens- and it will- what I shall always remember is this very special bond between horse and rider- Golden Sixty and Vincent Ho.
Who knows what they talk about, but watching them communicate is enough for me.
There’s so much that us humans can learn from friendship and trust and simply being there for each other.
From the sublime to the ridiculously lowbrow: Racing.com and RSN. Both need new microphones- at least, one that works- and someone familiar working with a simple mixing board instead of mayhem breaking loose.
It’s difficult enough to listen to the murder of crows that make up that wall of sound that natters at you from all sides, especially on a Saturday morning with everything in the TOO HARD basket, but when oh when is what should be a walk in the park for anyone who has worked with a WIX template going to finally come onboard and uncomplicate the Rubik’s Cube on acid that is Racing.com?
Despite sitting with one of its Board members about eight years ago at Mr Hives in Melbourne and going through everything that makes the site more difficult to navigate than the Titanic, it continues to travel at the speed of Cochise trying to circle the wagon trains by himself.
With sound dropping off, Mark Hunter seemingly sending out his tips from under a dumpster, the duelling Noonans talking at cross purposes and the frantically breathless Fritz the Cat galloping off into the great unknown, thank gawd for the calm professionalism of John Henry, below, who somehow manages to keep it all together.
Fortunately, we understand that the G-Man is off for a week with a new young friend, because if not, listeners will have to put up with the old boy salivating for tips from trainers trying to get the hell outta wherever they are. A cow patch?
Have mercy for the calming effect of Amy Yargi and her pale pink jacket and the voice of reason that says, “Everything will be alright once the meds kick in”.
Below, Amy is pictured apparently trying to rein in Frantic Fritz.
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