05/10/2016  Happy Valley  Race 8

As the start was effected, TRUMP turned its head to the left and consequently was slow to begin. STAR OF YAN OI began awkwardly and lost ground and then from the outside barrier was shifted across behind runners. STAR OF YAN OI then became detached from the field throughout the race. A veterinary inspection of STAR OF YAN OI immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. The performance of STAR OF YAN OI, which finished tailed out, was considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, STAR OF YAN OI will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. SUPER TURBO and SUPER LEADER bumped shortly after the start. Approaching the 1000 Metres, SAN NICASIO was steadied after racing tight between VICTORY MARVEL and LUCKY PROFIT which was racing tight to the inside of REGENCY DARLING which got its head on the side and shifted in away from FISH N’ CHIPS. Passing the 1000 Metres, VICTORY MARVEL was steadied away from the heels of REGENCY DARLING which was taken in by FISH N’ CHIPS (M L Yeung). M L Yeung was severely reprimanded. Making the turn after the 600 Metres, TRUMP got its head on the side and hung out towards the heels of SUPER LEADER (D Whyte). TRUMP was then ridden along in an endeavour to improve its position inside SUPER LEADER which, when being ridden along, lay in, resulting in TRUMP being hampered near the 450 Metres. Whilst it was acknowledged that TRUMP was hanging out, nonetheless D Whyte was advised, in similar circumstances, to make every endeavour to prevent his mounts from shifting ground. Over the concluding stages, TRUMP had difficulty obtaining clear running and consequently was not able to be ridden out all the way to the end of the race. For the majority of the race, LUCKY PROFIT travelled wide and without cover. When questioned, K Teetan stated that he had been asked to ride SKY MAN in about a midfield position if possible as horses had been successful from when ridden off the speed and being shifted out in the Straight. He said accordingly, although SKY MAN began well, he steadied the horse in the early stages to obtain a positon in about midfield with cover. He said when racing behind LUCKY PROFIT, SKY MAN commenced to prove difficult to settle and travelled keenly for some distance after the 1000 Metres. He said SKY MAN did not travel comfortably during the race and after being shifted out rounding the Home Turn SKY MAN was disappointing in the manner in which it did not finish off the race. Trainer P F Yiu will be interviewed regarding the tactics adopted on SKY MAN prior to the Sha Tin racemeeting on Saturday, 8 October 2016. When questioned regarding his riding of SUPER TURBO in the Straight, Z Purton stated that rounding the Home Turn he was following TRAVEL SUCCESSOR which at this time shifted out to obtain clear running and in doing so raced tight inside VICTORY MARVEL. He said as he anticipated that TRAVEL SUCCESSOR would shift in in the early part of the Straight to race outside REGENCY DARLING, he therefore elected to position his mount behind REGENCY DARLING to take advantage of a run that appeared to be opening up between that horse and FISH N’ CHIPS to his inside. He said along the Back Straight he had noted that REGENCY DARLING had raced with its head on the side and therefore he felt that it was more likely that a run would continue to develop between REGENCY DARLING and FISH N’ CHIPS rather than outside of REGENCY DARLING and inside TRAVEL SUCCESSOR. He said, as he anticipated, after the 300 Metres TRAVEL SUCCESSOR shifted back in when racing tight inside VICTORY MARVEL which meant that there was no run between TRAVEL SUCCESSOR and REGENCY DARLING. He said passing the 250 Metres the run to the inside of REGENCY DARLING appeared to be continuing to become available, therefore he shifted his mount to the inside of REGENCY DARLING to take advantage of this run when it developed. He said as he did this, TRAVEL SUCCESSOR shifted out which resulted in a run becoming available between that horse and REGENCY DARLING, however, at this time he had committed to improving inside the heels of REGENCY DARLING. He added in order to attempt to obtain the run which had developed to the outside of REGENCY DARLING, he would have had to check SUPER TURBO and lose momentum and therefore he felt it was a better option to continue to wait for the run between REGENCY DARLING and FISH N’ CHIPS. He said passing the 200 Metres REGENCY DARLING shifted out, resulting in a tight run developing between that horse and FISH N’ CHIPS, therefore he rode his mount along to obtain this run. He said however that a short distance later REGENCY DARLING and FISH N’ CHIPS both shifted ground, resulting in the run closing and SUPER TURBO again being badly held up for clear running. He further stated that as the run between those horses did not open up sufficiently for SUPER TURBO to improve its position, SUPER TURBO continued to be badly held up for the remainder of the race and consequently was not able to be tested. After considering Jockey Purton’s evidence and after viewing the video, the Stewards accepted his explanation and took no further action. After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that SAN NICASIO had bled from both nostrils. A veterinary inspection of LUCKY PROFIT immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucus in the horse’s trachea and also found the horse to be a “roarer” which had previously been reported. VICTORY MARVEL, HAPPY SURVEYS and SUPER LEADER were sent for sampling.