Hong Kong Raiders!

[my miss storm cat]

Hong Kong Gallopers To Arrive Next Week
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World-ranked Hong Kong stayer Viva Pataca is scheduled to arrive in Melbourne next Monday along with stablemate Viva Macau.

John Blakey vacates his post on Wednesday as the Melbourne foreman for Anthony Cummings to oversee the spring preparation of the two gallopers for John Moore.

Blakey made a connection with Moore two years ago when he supervised the 2005 spring campaign of Super Kid who posted Group One seconds in the Dubai Racing Club Cup and Toorak Handicap.

"He (Moore) wants to win a Group One in Australia after going so close with Super Kid, Blakey said.

Moore is so focused on the spring carnival that he is sending two staff members as well as two track riders to Melbourne to assist with the preparation of his horses at Caulfield.

Super Kid finished seventh in Makybe Diva's Cox Plate two years ago but Blakey said Viva Pataca was a far superior horse.

His 122 rating puts him among the top 20 horses in the world rankings released earlier this month.

"He is a far better horse than Super Kid and a real chance to give him (Moore) that Group One win," Blakey said.

Viva Pataca is $13 with TAB Sportsbet for the Cox Plate on October 27, $18 for the Caulfield Cup on October 20 and $26 for the Melbourne Cup on November 6.

Viva Macau is more generously quoted at $101 for the Cox Plate, $51 for the Caulfield Cup and $71 for the Melbourne Cup.

Viva Pataca beat Hong Kong's Racehorse of the Year and Dubai Sheema Classic winner Vengeance Of Rain at his last two starts in the QE II Cup (2000m) and the Champions and Chater Cup (2400m), which he won by more than three lengths in a record 2:24.6.

Viva Pataca also won the 2006 Chater Cup and the 2006 Hong Kong Derby.

Viva Macau, who has won four races from 1800 to 2100 metres in 14 starts, has lived in the shadow of his stablemate and was nearly eight lengths behind him when third in the Chater Cup at his last run.

Both Viva Pataca and Viva Macau are constant track companions and only two weeks ago were timed running their last 600 metres in a blistering 32.7s on the all-weather track at Sha Tin.

Blakey is expected to be briefed on race plans for Viva Pataca and Viva Macau when Moore arrives next week to settle the horses in at the Sandown quarantine centre.

Blakey said Moore would then return to Hong Kong and travel back to Melbourne a couple of days prior to the horses' first Australian starts.

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Go, Viva Macau!