16/03/2024  Shatin  Race 10

TAMRA BLITZ (G237): Approaching the 1000 Metres raced tight to the inside of ARMOUR WAR EAGLE. From the 400 Metres until the 300 Metres was held up for clear running. OUTGATE (H113): Sent for sampling post-race. NEVER TOO SOON (E434): No report. FLAGSHIP WARRIOR (G452): On the Home Turn raced tight to the inside of TAMRA BLITZ. After the 400 Metres was shifted to the outside of ARMOUR WAR EAGLE to obtain clear running. AFFORDABLE (J242): No report. ARMOUR WAR EAGLE (J039): Jumped awkwardly and lost ground. Approaching the 1000 Metres was steadied to avoid BEAUTY FIT (A Atzeni) which shifted in before being corrected. A Atzeni was advised to exercise more care. MASSIVE ACTION (E445): For some distance after the 500 Metres raced tight to the inside of WINDCHEATER. A veterinary inspection immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. BEAUTY FIT (E279): Bumped at the start. Raced wide and without cover for the majority of the event. A veterinary inspection immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. SWEET BRIAR (H044): Sent for sampling post-race. BRIGHT INHERITANCE (J215): No report. RUN RAN RUN (J108): A veterinary inspection immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. EXCEL WONGCHOY (J194): Bumped at the start. ONLY U (J037): No report. WINDCHEATER (J122): When questioned, H Bentley stated that he was instructed to hold a forward position on his mount from his wide barrier. He said WINDCHEATER was standing awkwardly in the barriers and as a consequence jumped awkwardly and lost ground. He said bearing in mind his instructions he then commenced to ride WINDCHEATER along to obtain a forward position in accordance with his instructions and whilst he had contemplated riding his mount conservatively in the early stages, he felt that his best option was to attempt to comply with his instructions. He added that after improving forward in the early stages, he then had to make some use of his mount to cross OUTGATE approaching the first turn near the 900 Metres and once positioned to the outside of MASSIVE ACTION, his mount relaxed although WINDCHEATER remained positioned in advance of MASSIVE ACTION. He further stated that when placed under pressure in the Home Straight WINDCHEATER initially responded to his riding but gave ground over the final 200 Metres due to the use he had to make of his mount in the early stages. H Bentley agreed with the Stewards that in retrospect when his mount lost ground at the start, his best option would have been to ride it in a conservative manner in the early stages to avoid making too much use of WINDCHEATER to go forward. Trainer M Newnham confirmed the instructions issued and also agreed with the Stewards that H Bentley would have been best suited by riding his mount in a conservative manner in the early stages. Sent for sampling post-race.