29/12/2019  Shatin  Race 3

H W Lai (MIGHTY VALOR) was fined $2,000 for presenting himself to be weighed out with the incorrect saddle cloth number. BRILLIANT was slow to begin. YES WE CAN began awkwardly and lost ground. MR WISEGUY began only fairly and then was ridden along for some distance in the early stages to obtain a forward position. HERO STAR was crowded for room on jumping between FORTUNE BRILLIANT and GOOD CHOICE AHEAD which shifted out. MIGHTY VALOR and DESTINE JEWELLERY bumped at the start. MIGHTY VALOR then shifted in towards the heels of SPARKLING STAR. H W Lai reported that it was intended for MIGHTY VALOR to be ridden with cover today. He said it was felt that at its previous starts the horse had not finished off the race when ridden in a forward position and therefore he was asked to ensure that he obtained cover on the horse in an attempt to have it close off the race better than it had been. He said after being steadied in the early stages, MIGHTY VALOR travelled keenly making the turn after the 900 Metres, however, finished off the race satisfactorily in the Straight. From wide barriers, SPICY REALLY and DAILY BEAUTY were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Passing the 1000 Metres, SPARKLING STAR was bumped by GLENEALY PALS which was taken out marginally by BRILLIANT. After this, SPARKLING STAR travelled wide and without cover. After the 600 Metres, U W BROTHER was taken wider by OVERSUBSCRIBED which shifted to the outside of MR WISEGUY. After racing greenly outside MIGHTY VALOR approaching the 500 Metres, DAILY BEAUTY was shifted to the inside of that horse on straightening as MIGHTY VALOR was directed to the outside of GLENEALY PALS. Near the 350 Metres, FORTUNE BRILLIANT (M Chadwick), which was improving to the outside of HERO STAR (C Y Ho), was shifted out abruptly away from the heels of that horse which was directed to the outside of U W BROTHER. DESTINE JEWELLERY, which was racing outside FORTUNE BRILLIANT, was inconvenienced in consequence. The Stewards accepted that FORTUNE BRILLIANT was improving quickly to the outside of HERO STAR and also accepted the evidence of M Chadwick regarding his mount, which was having its first race start, racing greenly prior to and during this incident. Nonetheless C Y Ho was severely reprimanded and advised to ensure that he exercises due care when shifting ground in similar circumstances. Approaching the 300 Metres, SPICY REALLY was shifted out away from the heels of GLENEALY PALS which was giving ground. SPICY REALLY was then shifted out away from the heels of MIGHTY VALOR approaching the 200 Metres. YES WE CAN lay in under pressure and proved difficult to ride in the Straight and over the concluding stages shifted out and bumped GOOD CHOICE AHEAD. A veterinary inspection of DESTINE JEWELLERY and OVERSUBSCRIBED immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. FORTUNE BRILLIANT and HERO STAR were sent for sampling.