31/05/2015  Shatin  Race 4

ENDORSING was withdrawn on 30.5.15 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right fore) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter SPEEDY WALLY (N Callan). Before being allowed to race again, ENDORSING will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. As the start was effected. ROUGE ET BLANC lifted its front feet off the ground and consequently began only fairly. WEALTHY FORTUNE shifted out at the start and bumped REAL GENEROUS. From wide barriers, PERCY JACKSON and ROCK THE TREE were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Approaching the 1800 Metres, PENNY LANE raced tight inside SPEEDY WALLY which lay in. Near the 1700 Metres, WIN ALONG became unbalanced when awkwardly placed outside the heels of WEALTHY FORTUNE. Near the 1500 Metres, SPEEDY WALLY got its head up when proving difficult to settle and awkwardly placed close to the heels of WEALTHY FORTUNE. In the early stages, WIN ALONG was left racing very wide and without cover and after the 1400 Metres was allowed to stride forward to race outside the lead after the 1200 Metres. After the 1200 Metres, WEALTHY FORTUNE was left racing wide and without cover. At the entrance to the Straight, SUPERKING DRAGON shifted out and was awkwardly placed inside the heels of JUMBO SPIRIT. Passing the 300 Metres, ROUGE ET BLANC got its head on the side and shifted out towards the heels of SUPERKING DRAGON which shifted in marginally and near the 200 Metres was awkwardly placed inside SUPERKING DRAGON. Near the 150 Metres, JUMBO SPIRIT shifted in and brushed AMBASSADORSHIP. In the Straight, SPEEDY WALLY got its head on the side, hung in and proved difficult to ride. Then near the 100 Metres, PENNY LANE and WEALTHY FORTUNE raced tight inside SPEEDY WALLY which shifted in abruptly. Over the concluding stages, SPEEDY WALLY continued to race with its head on the side and consequently was not able to be properly ridden out. Close to the finishing line, ROUGE ET BLANC shifted out, resulting in SUPERKING DRAGON being inconvenienced. When questioned, Apprentice C Y Lui stated that he had been asked to ride PENNY LANE, which was having its first start over 1800 Metres, quietly in the early stages from barrier 10 to have the horse relaxed so that it could see out the distance of today’s race. He said after initially failing to show a turn of foot in the early part of the Straight, PENNY LANE, after being ridden towards the rear of the field, then closed off the race quite well over the final 200 Metres. Also when questioned, N Rawiller stated that he had been asked to ensure that ASIA RISING began well and to have the horse positioned in the first five if possible. He said ASIA RISING had begun only fairly in some of its races and it was stressed to him the need to ensure that the horse began well. He said he had to ride his mount along in the early stages to ensure that it obtained a forward position as instructed and shifted across to race outside AMBASSADORSHIP. He said as that horse was going forward of SUPERKING DRAGON, he allowed ASIA RISING to stride forward and obtained an uncontested lead in the early stages rather than continuing to be left racing wide. He said when WIN ALONG improved to be racing to the outside of ASIA RISING near the 1200 Metres, ASIA RISING commenced to race keenly and would not settle. He added it was not available at this time to steady his mount to allow WIN ALONG to cross due to the manner in which it was over-racing. Trainer W Y So confirmed the instructions given to Jockey Rawiller and stated that these were similar to those which he issued to the rider at ASIA RISING’s most recent start. ROUGE ET BLANC, AMBASSADORSHIP and JUMBO SPIRIT were sent for sampling.