Pakistan Star

[Parkview_Pirate]

Originally Posted by betovernetcapper

It sounded like hundreds of people yelling at Moreira. It really wasn't his fault. PS has only won 2 or 10 races and seems to have more than his share of quirks. Yesterday he was spooked by some mechanical fans, though how he was aware of them through the hood is a mystery. Were he a 2 year old, you'd think he'd grow out of them, but he's 4! He has some ability, but is no Silent Witness or Able Friend. Amusing that he will have to compete in a trial race before he can race again.

Looks like he'll have to perform two trials, one at a mile, before he can race again.

http://www.hkjc.com/english/corporat..._cid=EWHPJSE__

Pakistan Star (133lb), runner-up in the BMW Hong Kong Derby, second in the G1 APQEII Cup and sent off the 1.2 favourite this afternoon to seal a first Group race success, decided to bin the script. Soon after the break, the Shamardal gelding raised his blinkered head, shortened his stride, and with only 200 metres of turf traversed, planted his feet.

“He wanted to stop,” said a frustrated Joao Moreira immediately after weighing-in. “I urged him and tried hard to get him running but he just didn't want to go!”

.....

Precisely 59.01 seconds later, Pakistan Star galloped down the home straight and passed the post under Moreira to claim fifth, the Tony Cruz-trained four-year-old having relented to raise his tempo once his opponents had gone beyond catching.

Pakistan Star’s antics were a throwback to his pre-racing days. The brown gelding refused to muster a canter when first he entered the Sha Tin track for a breeze-up before the 2016 Hong Kong International Sale, and required plenty of coaxing on that occasion before he did increase his pace. The Kerm Din-owned rising star had shown no signs of throwing in the towel in his nine previous starts this term.

Before he can race again, the Stipendiary Stewards will require the gelding to pass two consecutive satisfactory barrier trials, one of which must be contested over 1600m of the Sha Tin turf course.

Hong Kong racing is very formful, and relatively free of shenanigans, and the crowd often gets "excited" when the chalk fails to fire. To have a 1/5 shot come out running, then stop after a furlong without being injured, is quite unusual. The announcer mentioned he'd never seen anything like it, and I can't recall a similar occurrence in 30+ years of playing the ponies.

[nancy4487]

Saw the video clip on Twitter of Pakistan Star's attitude and refusal.
Never saw that in a race before....although my friend's jumper went in the ring at a show today and decided, "Nope, I don't want to do this today" and stood still. I can relate, my TB also acts like a brat some days!

[woodbinepmi]

Well, he did it again in a barrier trial. About a 100 metres out of the gate took a nice little leap and then just stopped running.

http://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/art...-cruz-summoned

http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/b...7&batchNo=8#b8

[nancy4487]

The career of Pakistan Star has been one twist after another, but he prevails on the biggest stage today as he takes the #QEIICup by a big margin for William Buick and Tony Cruz. Gold Mount second, Eagle Way third in a 1-2-3 for Hong Kong

Twitter

[cj]

That was impressive last night. When he was tucked on the rail close up in the 3rd, I thought it was over...nobody is out-kicking him from that position in the lane

[woodbinepmi]

It seems he only stops when he's trailing the pack, they rushed him a lot more into the race out of the gate last night, so I guess the trick is keep him surrounded by others and not give him the opportunity to stop running.

[chenoa]

Powerful performace, fabulous race. Ranks right up there with the Bullish Luck/Silent Witness race.

William Buick is the man. Not bad for a guy who has never been on the horse's back. Would never let Moreira or Chadwick back on the horse if I was Kerm.

[Nitro]

Pakistan Star certainly ran the best race of its career beating some quality animals and winning by daylight in just over 2:00 for 2000M (1 1/4 Mi). Its big surge taking the lead in the final ¼ was something that the connections had been looking to see for quite a while. Even the crowd reacted with a huge roar of approval after the race.

But from a bettor’s perspective was the Quinella payout! Taking my top 3 selections (posted) and boxing them with the bottom 2 (a base $20 wager) resulted in a generous $136.00 US$ return because Gold Mount (@ 34/1) finished 2nd !!! (My best score of the morning ).

[VigorsTheGrey]

Great performance...interesting he was up close to the pace uncharacteristically, and had plenty left to draw away late...a real tactics change for sure, looks almost like a new runner...

[Frost king]

Originally Posted by VigorsTheGrey

Great performance...interesting he was up close to the pace uncharacteristically, and had plenty left to draw away late...a real tactics change for sure, looks almost like a new runner...

And he broke from the gate clean for once.

[AltonKelsey]

Originally Posted by Nitro

Pakistan Star certainly ran the best race of its career beating some quality animals and winning by daylight in just over 2:00 for 2000M (1 1/4 Mi). Its big surge taking the lead in the final ¼ was something that the connections had been looking to see for quite a while. Even the crowd reacted with a huge roar of approval after the race.

But from a bettor’s perspective was the Quinella payout! Taking my top 3 selections (posted) and boxing them with the bottom 2 (a base $20 wager) resulted in a generous $136.00 US$ return because Gold Mount (@ 34/1) finished 2nd !!! (My best score of the morning ).

You're the best.

[nancy4487]

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Hong Kong's Champion Stayer for the 2017/18 season is PAKISTAN STAR, who won the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) as well as the G1 #APQEII Cup (2000m) #HKRacing