12/04/2020  Shatin  Race 5

READY CONQUEROR began awkwardly. LEADING FORTUNE and CIRCUIT HASSLER bumped at the start. CIRCUIT HASSLER then shifted in, resulting in REGENCY MASTER being crowded for room outside STUNNING IMPACT. After this, REGENCY MASTER and LEADING FORTUNE were steadied to obtain cover. Then despite being ridden along for a considerable distance, CIRCUIT HASSLER failed to muster speed. Rounding the Home Turn, SPICY GRILL was held up behind SMILING SUCCESS and HINYUEN SWIFTNESS. Then at the entrance to the Straight, SPICY GRILL was shifted in away from the heels of HINYUEN SWIFTNESS and SMILING SUCCESS. When held up behind HINYUEN SWIFTNESS, SPICY GRILL shifted out marginally, resulting in STUNNING IMPACT being steadied when crowded for room inside CIRCUIT HASSLER which was hampered when racing tight inside LEADING FORTUNE. SPICY GRILL was held up for clear running approaching the 200 Metres and passing the 200 Metres was shifted out away from the heels of MOON PEAKS to continue improving. Throughout the race, MOON PEAKS travelled wide and without cover. The Stewards deferred the declaration of weighed-in as they were of the prima facie view that incidents had occurred in the Straight which cast sufficient doubt on whether LEADING FORTUNE should be declared the winner of the race. Subsequently Z Purton, the rider of PARTY GENIUS, second placegetter, and D Whyte, trainer of the horse, formally lodged a protest/objection against LEADING FORTUNE alleging interference in the Home Straight. After taking evidence from all parties concerned and after viewing the official videos, the Stewards found that after receiving contact from PARTY GENIUS passing the 400 Metres when that horse was taken out by HINYUEN SWIFTNESS, LEADING FORTUNE commenced to lay in under pressure near the 350 Metres and shifted in a number of horses, resulting in LEADING FORTUNE making contact with PARTY GENIUS which was inconvenienced when taken in until just after the 200 Metres. It was further established that after the 200 Metres both horses straightened and there was no further contact until near the 75 Metres at which stage PARTY GENIUS and LEADING FORTUNE brushed primarily as a result of LEADING FORTUNE shifting in slightly. PARTY GENIUS consequently drifted out under pressure over the concluding stages, resulting in both horses continuing to race tight. In all the circumstances, the Stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that had the contact between the two horses in the early part of the Straight and again near the 75 Metres not occurred, PARTY GENIUS would have finished in front of LEADING FORTUNE and therefore the protest/objection was overruled with weighed-in being declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge. In relation to the inward movement from LEADING FORTUNE in the early part of the Straight, J Moreira was advised to exercise more care. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of SMILING SUCCESS, Apprentice C Wong stated that at its last start the horse was able to obtain the lead from a wide barrier and consequently finished off the race strongly. He said in today’s race he rode SMILING SUCCESS hard for a considerable distance in the early stages to again take up a forward position, however, SMILING SUCCESS did not show as much early speed as he hoped and was not able to lead. He said when racing behind runners SMILING SUCCESS did not travel as comfortably as it did last start and after being placed under pressure prior to the Home Turn did not finish off the race. He said, in his opinion, the performance of SMILING SUCCESS could be attributed to the fact that the horse was up in grade and was not able to lead the race which was run at a faster tempo than its last start. A veterinary inspection of SMILING SUCCESS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of LORIZ immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. LEADING FORTUNE and PARTY GENIUS were sent for sampling. <14/4/2020 Additional Veterinary Report>The Veterinary Officer reported that HAPPY FORCE was lame in its right front leg on the morning after racing. Before being allowed to race again, HAPPY FORCE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination.