Mauritius - Sunday

For sure Hibs, sh!t thats more than my punting budget for the month!!!

Mine cost a huge R96 ... 4,7,8 x 4,8 x 2,6 x 3,4 x 4 x 4,5 x 1,6

Shan regularly comes up with PA and P6 perms that contain more numbers than the London telephone directory. I have no idea if they ever arrive.

French ace Stephane Pasquier was crowned the 2009 International Champion in Mauritius after he won all of his four races in the jockeys' challenge weekend on Saturday.

Although he could not continue his winning streak on the Champ de Mars track at Port Louis on Sunday, he had accumulated too many points for any of the other seven jockeys, including Frankie Dettori and Johnny Murtagh, to overturn his advantage.

"You wouldn't think it, but the track is quite a technical track," said Pasquier.

"But there is always good pace and horses can sort themselves out quite easily.

"It is great to come here and ride four winners.

"Everybody screams and shouts and it's a real party atmosphere. Following a hard season in France, it is great to let loose a bit in Mauritius."

Dettori, Tom Queally and Hayley Turner were all out of luck and failed to ride a winner, with only Murtagh managing to lift a race on Sunday.

He won the PMU race that was broadcast live on French Equidia with Galant Gagnant, which eventually assured him a second-place finish in the championship (which he shared with Olivier Peslier).

Murtagh said: "The trainer was very confident with the horse and he gave me a lovely ride. I thought that today I probably had better rides than on Saturday.

"I had ridden two seconds earlier in the day and it is always nice to ride a winner here. As I said, unfortunately the French have beaten us more than once this season."

Murtagh, who was flying directly to Hong Kong after the last race, added: "I like this place. It is great to be here with my family who are having a great time.

"The track is tight but the horses are well used going around the sharp ends."

Just before Murtagh saved the day for the Europeans, Ahmed Ajtebi, who was riding for Dubai, got into the winner's enclosure after lifting the second race on Sunday with the aptly-named Alitalia.

"It is always great when I can win a race for my country," said Ajtebi.

"I really didn't feel any pressure and just did what the trainer told me. My horse won quite easily in the end."

The 'Rising Stars' competition was won by the Indian jockey Suraj Satish Narredu, who has ridden more than 900 winners in just over seven years.

What about the crowds and excitement generated at this meeting,what are they doing right?

Nothing else to do. Unless dating a sexy chick to quote AKON.

Hib's 6/7 meetings a month, we've way too much racing in SA. Or should I say it's spaced out way too much and should be congested for a start.

I actually would not mind having a few days a week off as standard practise.

Say for instance Mondays Thursday and Sunday there is no racing....