13/11/2011  Shatin  Race 5

IRON EAGLE was withdrawn on 11.11.11 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame left fore foot) and was replaced by 1st Standby Declared Starter DALKAN (M Du Plessis). GREAT ACHIEVEMENT was withdrawn on 12.11.11 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right hind) and was replaced by 2nd Standby Declared Starter FLYING CHINA (B Prebble). Before being allowed to race again, IRON EAGLE and GREAT ACHIEVEMENT will both be subjected to an official veterinary examination. VIGOR DELIGHT and SHIFACHI TRADITION were both slow to begin. NICE FOLKS began awkwardly and then throughout the race travelled wide and without cover. From wide barriers, DALKAN and BEAUTY SUCCESS were taken across behind runners shortly after the start. After the 600 Metres, ST DIDAR raced tight between SUPER HURRICANE and MY HOME TOWN which shifted away from the rail from behind BET ON ME. On a number of occasions in the early part of the Straight, JIMSON THE BEST and NICE FOLKS bumped as JIMSON THE BEST attempted to shift out to obtain clear running. N Callan (MY HOME TOWN) was warned for raising his whip arm above shoulder height in the early part of the Straight. After the 200 Metres, FLYING CHINA raced in restricted room between NICE FOLKS and MY HOME TOWN. After the 150 Metres, MY HOME TOWN and OLE OLE bumped due to both horses shifting ground. In this incident, MY HOME TOWN became unbalanced, shifted in and bumped FLYING CHINA. Close to the finishing line, FLYING CHINA and ENHANCED bumped due to FLYING CHINA being crowded for room inside OLE OLE (Apprentice M L Yeung). Apprentice Yeung was reprimanded. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of BET ON ME, J Lloyd stated that he had been instructed to lead on the horse if he was able to obtain an uncontested lead. He said when HAPPY DRUMMING travelled strongly into the first turn, he elected to take a position behind that horse rather than ride BET ON ME along to obtain the lead. He said BET ON ME travelled well behind HAPPY DRUMMING until near the 600 Metres, however, came under pressure from this point and then weakened out of the race in the Straight. He added, in his opinion, BET ON ME is better suited in races over a shorter distance than that of today’s race. A veterinary inspection of BET ON ME after the race did not show any significant findings. After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that ENHANCED had lost its left front plate. A veterinary inspection of JIMSON THE BEST and SHIFACHI TRADITION after the race did not show any significant findings. OLE OLE and FLYING CHINA were sent for sampling.