JOCKEY Kevin Moses, who is well-known in Hong Kong, will be able to resume race riding from February 11. Moses was disqualified, along with Jim Cassidy and Gavin Eades, over the 'jockey tapes' affair which was said to involve race-fixing. However, the New South Wales director of public prosecution has found that there was 'insufficient evidence' of race fixing to press charges and is now letting the matter drop.
This led to Moses, who was originally disqualified for 12 months but had his penalty reduced to 10 months on appeal, asking the Australian Jockey Club licensing sub-committee for a further reduction. His request was granted. 'I broke the rules by tipping horses for financial gain and I had to be penalised, but in my opinion I think I was treated harshly,' said Moses. An enthusiastic Hong Kong representation is expected at the 70th New Zealand National Yearling Sale beginning at Karaka on Wednesday and continuing through Thursday and Friday.
A total of 518 yearlings - by sires such as Centain, Danehill, Kaapstad, Last Tycoon, Marscay, Palace Music, Rory's Jester, Sir Tristram and Zabeel - are in the sale. Potential buyers were courted in Hong Kong last month by a delegation led by New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association president and Cambridge Stud boss Patrick Hogan. In addition to handing-out catalogues the New Zealanders were some impressive statistics. According to the Breeders' Association more than 40 per cent of the black-type races decided in Hong Kong during the 1994-95 season were won by New Zealand-breds.
The Horse-of-the-Year title also went to New Zealand-bred Makarpura Star. Domeland Pty Ltd - a company controlled by Hong Kong businessman Y. P. Cheung - bought the highest priced lot at last week's Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Acting through Cheung's private trainer Kevin Connelly, Domeland went to A$290,000 for a bay colt by champion sire Danehill from the well-performed Marscay mare Sister Angela. Cheung, who races his horses in Australia, Macau and Singapore, purchased a total of 11 lots at the sales.
These included other colts by Danehill, who went for A$125,000 and A$120,000, and a colt by Canny Lad, who brought A$110,000. The youngsters will be prepared at the property Cheung has developed at Kulnura, north of Sydney. There seems to be no stopping heavyweight jockey Wayne Harris in feature races, wherever they are held. Harris, who won the International Bowl at Sha Tin last month on the Grahame Begg-trained Monopolize, added to his already imposing record last weekend. When Larry Olsen was suspended Harris asked for, and was given, the mount on Winger Charger in the A$1 million Magic Millions.
Everything went right for the pair in the race with Winger Charger racing to the lead soon after straightening to score comfortably from Our Banker and La Snippette. It was the second successive win in the Magic Millions for Harris, who won the previous year on Zephyrz. Harris, who this week went to Singapore for a riding stint, also won the 1994 Melbourne Cup on Jeune after other jockeys had turned down the mount.
