02/04/2017  Shatin  Race 6

PLANET STAR was withdrawn on 31.3.17 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (right fore foot injury) and was replaced by first Standby Declared Starter MEGATRON (B Prebble). GOOD CHOI LEE was withdrawn on 1.4.17 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame left fore and sore medial suspensory) and was replaced by second Standby Declared Starter BALAY BALAY (Z Purton). Before being allowed to race again, PLANET STAR and GOOD CHOI LEE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. CAPE THE FAITH was slow to begin. VICTORY MASTER began only fairly and then shortly after the start raced in restricted room inside EVEREST which got its head on the side and shifted in. From a wide barrier, ELECTRIC LIGHTNING was steadied in the early stages and shifted across behind runners. After initially being taken out by THE SHOW soon after the start, CARE FREE PRINCE shifted out away from that horse, resulting in MEGATRON and AH BO being crowded for room inside METALLIC STAR. M L Yeung (MEISTERSTUECK) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that after the 1100 Metres he permitted his mount to shift in when not clear of METALLIC STAR, resulting in that horse being hampered and taken in across the rightful running of THE SHOW which was checked and lost the running to which it was rightfully entitled. SUPERIOR BOY, which was following THE SHOW, was hampered in consequence. M L Yeung was suspended from riding in races for a period to commence on Wednesday, 12 April 2017 and to expire on Tuesday, 18 April 2017 on which day he may resume race riding (2 Hong Kong racedays). In addition, Jockey Yeung was fined $7,500. Passing the 1000 Metres, MEGATRON commenced to travel keenly when being steadied to obtain cover and then near the 900 Metres got its head up when being checked away from the heels of SUPERIOR BOY. Making the turn after the 900 Metres, ELECTRIC LIGHTNING got its head up and shifted out abruptly when awkwardly placed close to the heels of AH BO. SUPERIOR BOY was held up for clear running until passing the 250 Metres. Throughout the race, CURLING LUXURY travelled wide and without cover. After the race, J Moreira stated that throughout the race AH BO lay out and proved difficult to ride. A veterinary inspection of AH BO immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. When questioned, M L Yeung stated that he had been asked to ride MEISTERSTUECK in a similar manner to how he rode the horse two starts ago when successful. He said on that occasion he was instructed to obtain cover and MEISTERSTUECK was able to obtain a position in about midfield and subsequently closed off the race well. He said he was again asked to attempt to obtain cover on MEISTERSTUECK in this race and because of this, after the horse began well, he did not ride it along in the hope that it would be able to obtain a trailing position. He said shortly after the start he was racing to the outside of METALLIC STAR which was being ridden along, having regard to the manner in which MEISTERSTUECK began, he felt that it was not reasonable to restrain the horse at this early stage of the race in an attempt to obtain a trailing position behind that horse. He said he therefore, after travelling about 100 Metres, rode MEISTERSTUECK along in order to take up a position outside CARE FREE PRINCE and hoped to steady MEISTERSTUECK to allow CURLING LUXURY, which was racing wide, to improve around MEISTERSTUECK, thereby providing his mount with cover. He added after crossing to race outside CARE FREE PRINCE near the 1100 Metres, MEISTERSTUECK proved very difficult to settle and got its head up when he attempted to restrain the horse. He said for this reason he was not able to slow MEISTERSTUECK sufficiently to allow CURLING LUXURY to cross and this resulted in MEISTERSTUECK racing in a more forward position than intended and without cover. A veterinary inspection of MEISTERSTUECK immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. EVEREST and CARE FREE PRINCE were sent for sampling. <4/3/2017 Additional Veterinary Report>The Veterinary Officer reported that MEGATRON was lame in its right hind leg on the morning after racing. Before being allowed to race again, MEGATRON will be subjected to an official veterinary examination.