17/03/2019  Shatin  Race 8

SUNNY SPEED began only fairly. Shortly after the start, GOLD CHEST became badly unbalanced when crowded for room between DARK DREAM and TIANCHI MONSTER which shifted out after being bumped by ENRICHMENT. In this incident, both TIANCHI MONSTER and DARK DREAM also became badly unbalanced. From a wide barrier, HO HO KHAN was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. After passing the winning post on the first occasion, DARK DREAM was left racing wide and without cover. For a considerable distance in the middle stages, SUNNY SPEED travelled keenly and got its head up when awkwardly placed behind HARMONY VICTORY. HARMONY VICTORY and HO HO KHAN had some difficulty obtaining clear running in the early part of the Straight. After improving into tight running between HARMONY VICTORY and MR SO AND SO, SUNNY SPEED got its head on the side and shifted in near the 400 Metres and was awkwardly placed outside the heels of HARMONY VICTORY. RED WARRIOR was held up for a run from passing the 300 Metres until near the 150 Metres at which stage the horse was shifted to the outside of HARMONY VICTORY to obtain clear running. Passing the 200 Metres, GOLD CHEST shifted out and bumped ENRICHMENT. Approaching the 100 Metres, KA YING STAR raced tight inside MISSION TYCOON which was taken in by HARMONY VICTORY which, after improving into tight running inside DARK DREAM, was then taken in by that horse. When questioned, J Moreira stated that, from the outside barrier, he was asked to ride WAIKUKU behind runners in the early stages and obtain cover. He said it was hoped that WAIKUKU would be able to improve its position after the 700 Metres before shifting out at the top of the Straight to obtain clear running. He said in accordance with his instructions he shifted WAIKUKU across behind runners in the early stages and passing the 1600 Metres was racing towards the rear of the field. He said passing the 1200 Metres WAIKUKU was trailing RED WARRIOR which was racing behind GOLD CHEST. He said he commenced to become concerned with the margin between RED WARRIOR and WAIKUKU after the 1100 Metres as WAIKUKU was no longer able to maintain its position behind that horse which near the 1000 Metres shifted to the inside of GOLD CHEST to follow HO HO KHAN. He said he commenced to ride his mount along prior to the 1000 Metres to make up ground as a sizeable margin had developed between WAIKUKU and the runners in front. He said despite riding his mount along, WAIKUKU did not respond and he had to continuously ride it along from the 1000 Metres until after the 800 Metres at which stage WAIKUKU commenced to respond to his riding. He said approaching the 700 Metres he was positioned behind GOLD CHEST and elected to shift out away from behind that horse and followed ENRICHMENT. He said ENRICHMENT was not travelling as well as he anticipated and that horse was not able to follow the eventual winner FURORE into the race after the 600 Metres. He added as ENRICHMENT was not able to maintain its position, he elected to shift to the outside of ENRICHMENT near the 550 Metres which was earlier than was ideal as that horse was under heavy pressure. He said after shifting WAIKUKU to the outside of runners rounding the Home Turn, the horse then finished off the race strongly. He said he was at a loss to explain why WAIKUKU did not respond to his riding prior to the 1000 Metres which resulted in the horse being detached from the main body of the field and further back than should have been the case. When questioned, K Teetan stated that, from a wide barrier, he was asked to shift HELENE LEADINGSTAR across behind runners in the early stages and ride the horse quietly at the rear of the field. He said after the 1400 Metres he was racing behind WAIKUKU and decided to trail that horse as he expected that WAIKUKU would take him into the race. He said WAIKUKU was not able to maintain its position behind RED WARRIOR after the 1100 Metres and he considered his options at this time as WAIKUKU was becoming detached from the main body of the field. He said although it was available for him to shift to the inside of WAIKUKU, he was reluctant to do this as he anticipated that there would be horses that would commence to give ground later in the race and he did not want to get caught behind them. He said he also felt that shifting to the outside of WAIKUKU would result in HELENE LEADINGSTAR having to cover unnecessary ground after the 900 Metres, therefore he elected to continue to race behind WAIKUKU in the hope that that horse would be able to improve its position and take him in to the race. He added when WAIKUKU commenced to improve after the 700 Metres, he continued to follow that horse and rounding the Home Turn attempted to shift directly to its outside, however, HELENE LEADINGSTAR got its head on the side and lay in and was reluctant to shift to the outside of WAIKUKU. He said it was not until near the 300 Metres that he was able to shift HELENE LEADINGSTAR to the outside of runners to finish off its race. A veterinary inspection of MISSION TYCOON, KA YING STAR and ENRICHMENT immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. FURORE and WAIKUKU were sent for sampling.