Happy Lucky Dragon Win | Doleuze v Angland as tempers flare at Sha Tin

Sunday at Sha Tin, and more specifically an eventful race eight, left us with questions. Whose money moved Winfull Patrol’s price from 20s into 4-1? Why didn’t anyone think it was a good idea to apply some pressure to the leader in that race? But more important than all of that: who would win in a fight between Tye Angland and Olivier Doleuze if it came down to it?

Angland and Doleuze shared some stern swear words and engaged in a little bit of argy-bargy following the Sa Po Handicap, choosing about the worst place in the world to play push-and-shove – right outside the equivalent of the headmaster’s office, Kim Kelly’s Sha Tin stewards’ room.

Kelly is on a disciplinary rampage of late – you can’t so much as sneeze without copping a three-day ban or fine, so when Angland said a rude word, and Doleuze responded in kind by getting in his face, both were relieved of HK$20,000 for misconduct.

You can’t blame the boys for getting a little antsy: Doleuze had been just been beaten a short-head on Our Folks and Angland had nearly been knocked through the running rail on race favourite Brave Brother by Doleuze, before finishing fifth.

And both were probably pretty hungry, which makes anyone grumpy. There should be a “swear zone” – a place where jockeys can say whatever they want to each other to let off steam without fear of reprisal – oh, wait there is, it’s the back straight after pulling up.

But back to the matter at hand: if the boys were thrown in a UFC-style cage together and went at it, who walks away? Both are fan favourites, so we would get a crowd.