16/03/2008  Shatin  Race 4

While being saddled, TOUCH LUCKY became very fractious. Mr C W Chang, trainer of TOUCH LUCKY, was fined $5,000 for misconducting himself in that he kicked TOUCH LUCKY in the vicinity of the chest. TOUCH LUCKY began awkwardly, got its head up and lost ground. MOONGLOW was slow to begin. In the early stages, ONE TOUCH, which was racing in blinkers on the first occasion today, got its head up when being taken back from a wide barrier to a position with cover. Also in the early stages, TOUCH LUCKY proved difficult to settle and on a number of occasions got its head up when being steadied away from the heels of AMAZING VENTURE. Passing the 1200 Metres, JOLLY BIRD got its head up when being steadied. After the 1000 Metres, when the tempo of the race steadied, a number of runners commenced to over-race and were checked, the worst sufferers being MOONGLOW, TOUCH LUCKY, GALLANT WIN, TATTENHALL DELIGHT and KING OF SPADES. Near the 800 Metres, WILD ACE was reluctant to hold its position to the inside of AMAZING VENTURE. After the 600 Metres, KING OF SPADES became unbalanced and bumped the running rail when crowded for room inside TOUCH LUCKY which shifted in when commencing to give ground. ISLAND SUNRISE made the Home Turn awkwardly and shifted wider. For the major part of the race, SHATIN WIN WIN travelled wide and without cover and making the Home Turn commenced to hang out and was carried wider by AMAZING VENTURE. Over about the last 100 Metres, MOONGLOW was not able to obtain clear running and because of this was not properly tested. Over the concluding stages, KING OF SPADES had difficulty obtaining clear running and because of this was not ridden out right to the end of the race. In the Straight, ONE TOUCH hung in. ISLAND SUNRISE was sent for an official veterinary inspection and sampling. After the race, ISLAND SUNRISE was examined by the Veterinary Officer. He said an endoscopic examination showed the horse to have mucopus discharge emanating from a probable throat infection. Before being allowed to race again, ISLAND SUNRISE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. TATTENHALL DELIGHT was sent for an official veterinary inspection. A veterinary inspection of TATTENHALL DELIGHT after the race did not show any significant findings. AMAZING VENTURE and BEAUTIFUL CHOICE were sent for sampling. After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported TOUCH LUCKY was making an abnormal breathing noise and JOLLY BIRD had lost its right hind plate.