28/01/2018  Shatin  Race 6

SUNNY WAY was crowded for room on jumping between WALDORF and CALIFORNIA ELITE which shifted out. HAIR TRIGGER and POWER MAN began only fairly. DOUBLE VALENTINE and MONEY BOY bumped very heavily at the start, resulting in B Prebble, the rider of MONEY BOY, becoming badly unbalanced and both horses also becoming unbalanced. Approaching the 700 Metres, MONEY BOY momentarily raced tight between TURF SPRINT and WATER DIVINER which was then shifted in to relieve the tightening to MONEY BOY. HAIR TRIGGER lost its left front plate near the 300 Metres. Passing the 300 Metres, ACE KING, which had been held up for clear running, was checked when attempting to improve between FORTUNE BO BO and TURF SPRINT where there was insufficient room. POWER MAN was held up for clear running approaching and passing the 100 Metres. The Stewards questioned W M Lai in relation to his riding of LUCKY GUY, 5th placegetter, over about the final 100 Metres. W M Lai stated that LUCKY GUY had been badly held up for clear running from near the 300 Metres and because of this he had to check LUCKY GUY away from the heels of ACE KING near the 200 Metres. He said after shifting to the inside of that horse, he was then again held up for clear running behind TURF SPRINT and WATER DIVINER approaching the 100 Metres. He said he felt that there was not sufficient room for him to continue improving between those horses over the concluding stages and because of this he was not able to ride LUCKY GUY out all the way to the end of the race. After being shown the videos, W M Lai conceded that he had misjudged the amount of room which was available between WATER DIVINER and TURF SPRINT as a result of TURF SPRINT shifting out. Having considered the circumstance leading up to the 100 Metres, the Stewards believed that in the circumstances it was appropriate for W M Lai to be charged with a breach of Rule 100(2) in that he failed to ride his mount out all the way to the end of the race to the satisfaction of the Stewards. Jockey Lai pleaded guilty to the charge. Having regard to LUCKY GUY’s positioning in respect of the placegetters of the race and that he had not ridden the horse out satisfactorily over about the last 75 Metres, the Stewards were of the view that the appropriate penalty was for his licence to ride in races to be suspended for a period to commence on Saturday, 10 February 2018 and to expire on Thursday, 1 March 2018 on which day he may resume race riding. In this time, there are 6 racemeetings to be conducted in Hong Kong. A veterinary inspection of LUCKY GUY immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious. After the race, K C Leung (FORTUNE BO BO) reported that his saddle slipped back in the early and middle stages, placing him at a significant disadvantage in that he was not able to properly ride the horse out over the concluding stages as the saddle had shifted even further back by this time. When questioned regarding the performance of HAIR TRIGGER, T Berry stated that the horse was more fractious in the barriers today than it had been in the past when he had ridden it. He said HAIR TRIGGER was slow to begin as can often be the case, however, the horse did not travel as well in the early and middle stages as it had in the past. He said HAIR TRIGGER was always off the bridle and at no stage travelled comfortably despite being ridden along. He added HAIR TRIGGER did not respond to his riding and then was particularly disappointing in its failure to finish off the race. A veterinary inspection of HAIR TRIGGER immediately following the race found that horse to have sustained an abrasion to the left hind fetlock. The performance of HAIR TRIGGER, a last start winner, was considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, HAIR TRIGGER will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of MONEY BOY immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. WATER DIVINER, BALTIC WHISPER and TURF SPRINT were sent for sampling.