28/11/2010  Shatin  Race 6

TIME LEGEND was withdrawn on raceday morning by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (swollen right front fetlock). Before being allowed to race again, TIME LEGEND will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. SUPER GENKI was crowded for room at the start by HOT SHOT which shifted in. Throughout the race, TREMENDOUS ADD travelled wide and without cover. Throughout the race, FUN HEROES travelled wide and without cover. When questioned, D Beadman stated that he was not under any specific instructions on how PACKING OK should be ridden today. He said however from a wide barrier and with top weight, it was felt that if PACKING OK began well, he should take up a forward position if too much use of the horse did not have to be made to do so. He said that it was felt that today’s race would be run at an average tempo which would leave PACKING OK with too much to do were it to be taken back in the field, particularly with strongly fancied horses such as VITALITY EXPRESS and HOT SHOT likely to be ridden in forward positions. Trainer J Moore confirmed that he had not issued any specific instructions to Jockey Beadman and also confirmed that he expected the horse would be ridden in a forward position if it began well today as he did not believe it would be in the horse’s best interests to be ridden back in the field if the tempo of the race was only fair as he anticipated it would be. When questioned, Y T Cheng stated that he had been instructed to ride GREEN PEARL quietly today. He said after riding the horse in its recent starts, he advised connections that, in his opinion, GREEN PEARL was not finishing off its races when being ridden in a forward position. He said today GREEN PEARL proved difficult to settle in the early stages, but after travelling approximately 200 Metres the horse settled well. He said in the Straight GREEN PEARL closed off the race well and, in his opinion, is best suited when being ridden off the speed. Trainer S Woods stated that when GREEN PEARL initially commenced racing in Hong Kong, it had been ridden back in the field. He said when racing over 1600 Metres at Sha Tin on 27 June 2010, the horse took up a forward position from a wide draw and performed well, therefore he formed the view at that time that GREEN PEARL would best be suited when ridden in a forward position. He said however that at its two starts this season, GREEN PEARL had disappointed him in the manner in which it had been closing off the race. Accordingly he said he instructed Jockey Cheng to ride GREEN PEARL quietly and ensure that the horse closed off the race today. He said having in mind that GREEN PEARL was beaten a little over 2 lengths today and had closed off the race well, despite it being subsequently found to have experienced veterinary problems, he was of the view that GREEN PEARL is best suited when ridden with more patience. After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that GREEN PEARL had bled from both nostrils and was displaying an irregular heart rhythm. Before being permitted to race again, GREEN PEARL will be required to perform satisfactorily in an official barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of TREMENDOUS ADD after the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucopus in the horse's trachea. PACKING OK, VITALITY EXPRESS and HOT SHOT were sent for sampling.