28/04/2019  Shatin  Race 2

BABY was crowded for room on jumping between DAN CONTROL and AEROHAPPINESS which shifted out. In this incident, DAN CONTROL became unbalanced after being bumped on the hindquarters by BABY. SMART CHARADE shifted out at the start and bumped CHAMPION PRIDE. BEST ALLIANCE and E GENERATION bumped at the start. BEST ALLIANCE was then crowded shortly after the start by GOLDEN SIXTY which shifted in. DAN CONTROL lost its right front plate shortly after the start. From the outside barrier, SPEEDY LUCK was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Trainer P F Yiu explained that from the outside barrier he instructed K C Leung to steady the horse and obtain cover towards the rear of the field. He said he felt that too much use would have to be made of SPEEDY LUCK to cross runners to its inside to take up a forward position without racing wide and possibly without cover. He said he noted the fact that the winner of Race 1 had been able to so do from about midfield and therefore felt that today would provide SPEEDY LUCK the opportunity to finish off the race better than if it were to be hard ridden to obtain the lead. Despite being vigorously ridden in the early stages, CALIFORNIA TURBO failed to muster speed. When being steadied to obtain cover, DAN CONTROL travelled keenly and got its head up after the 1000 Metres. Then making the turn near the 850 Metres, DAN CONTROL again got its head up on a number of occasions when being checked away from the heels of E GENERATION which was steadied to allow GINTOKI to cross. WON WON TOO, which was following, was steadied away from the heels of DAN CONTROL in consequence. Approaching the 800 Metres, GOLDEN SIXTY was left racing wide and without cover. Making the turn at the 800 Metres, when unbalanced, DAN CONTROL shifted out, resulting in CHAMPION PRIDE being awkwardly placed outside that horse and being taken wider. Approaching and passing the 700 Metres, BEST ALLIANCE was awkwardly placed inside the heels of SMART CHARADE when travelling keenly. After the 700 Metres, SMART CHARADE raced close to the heels of WON WON TOO. The Stewards deferred the declaration of weighed-in as they were of the view that an incident had occurred near the 150 Metres and again over the concluding stages which cast doubt on whether AEROHAPPINESS (J Moreira) should be declared the 3rd placegetter of the race. Subsequently K Teetan, the rider of the 4th placed, SMART LEADER, lodged a protest/objection against AEROHAPPINESS alleging interference to his mount over the final 150 Metres. After taking evidence from all the parties concerned and after viewing the videos, it was found that near the 150 Metres AEROHAPPINESS shifted out under pressure, resulting in SMART LEADER losing ground when hampered and taken out a number of horses. It was further found that SMART LEADER then commenced to make ground on AEROHAPPINESS after this incident before being crowded by AEROHAPPINESS which again shifted out under pressure and inside GOLDEN SIXTY, resulting in SMART LEADER not being able to be ridden out all the way to the end of the race. Having regard to the ground lost by SMART LEADER near the 150 Metres and the manner in which both AEROHAPPINESS and SMART LEADER finished off the race until just prior to the line at which time SMART LEADER was crowded for room, the Stewards were satisfied that if not for the interference caused by AEROHAPPINESS shifting out, principally at the 150 Metres, SMART LEADER would have finished in front of AEROHAPPINESS. Accordingly, the protest/objection was sustained and the placings amended to read No. 13, GOLDEN SIXTY, 1st; No. 4, LOCKHEED, 2nd; No. 10, SMART LEADER, 3rd; and No. 14, AEROHAPPINESS, 4th. At a subsequent inquiry, J Moreira was reprimanded for failing to straighten his mount in a more timely manner near the 150 Metres. He was also severely reprimanded for not taking corrective measures at the earliest opportunity close to the finishing line when AEROHAPPINESS again shifted out under pressure. When questioned regarding the performance of DAN CONTROL, Z Purton stated that after becoming unbalanced at the start when bumped by BABY, DAN CONTROL was able to obtain a forward position in the early stages. He said when he steadied DAN CONTROL passing the 1000 Metres to allow E GENERATION to cross his mount and provide it with cover, DAN CONTROL got its head up on a number of occasions. He said then making the turn near the 850 Metres DAN CONTROL commenced to travel keenly and again got its head up for some distance when being checked away from the heels of E GENERATION. He said after this DAN CONTROL travelled satisfactorily and after being shifted to the outside of GOLDEN SIXTY rounding the Home Turn did not quicken as it did at its first race start. He said DAN CONTROL was particularly disappointing over the final 200 Metres in that the horse did not finish off the race. He added, in his opinion, the only explanation he could offer for the disappointing performance was the fact that DAN CONTROL over-raced in the early and middle stages and was a young horse carrying 133 lbs. A veterinary inspection of DAN CONTROL immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of CHAMPION PRIDE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that SMART CHARADE had bled from both nostrils. DAN CONTROL, GOLDEN SIXTY and LOCKHEED were sent for sampling.