12/04/2020  Shatin  Race 6

SPEEDY DRAGON was slow to begin. UNIVERSAL CROWN shifted out at the start and bumped SKYEY SUPREME. From wide barriers, XIANG LAN QI and PRESIDENT’S CHOICE were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. HAPPILY FRIENDS made the turn near the 900 Metres awkwardly, got its head on the side and lay out towards the heels of COLONEL, resulting in UNIVERSAL CROWN being bumped and racing tight inside SKYEY SUPREME. BREEZE OF SPRING lay out rounding the Home Turn and in the Straight. Approaching the 100 Metres, SKYEY SUPREME was awkwardly placed outside the heels of COLONEL which shifted out away from HARD PROMISE. Then passing the 100 Metres, SKYEY SUPREME was awkwardly placed close to the heels of COLONEL. Throughout the race, VICTORY FOR ALL travelled wide and without cover. When questioned regarding his riding of CHEVALIER PRINCE, M Chadwick stated that he was asked to have the horse, which was having its first race start today, in a position where it was comfortable and then finish off the race as best as it was able. He said in the early stages he steadied his mount to obtain cover behind SKYEY SUPREME which was being ridden along to his inside. He said as he was steadying to shift in behind SKYEY SUPREME, he then hoped to shift in further to follow UNIVERSAL CROWN, however, PRESIDENT’S CHOICE was able to improve its position inside CHEVALIER PRINCE and for this reason CHEVALIER PRINCE was then left racing three wide. He said he rode his mount along approaching and passing the 900 Metres to maintain its position outside PRESIDENT’S CHOICE and inside BREEZE OF SPRING, however, when BREEZE OF SPRING shifted in marginally passing the 750 Metres, CHEVALIER PRINCE was reluctant to maintain its position, got its head on the side and shifted out towards the heels of BREEZE OF SPRING. He said after this CHEVALIER PRINCE continued to race with its head on the side and lay out after the 600 Metres and making the turn which allowed PRESIDENT’S CHOICE the opportunity to improve inside CHEVALIER PRINCE. He said he rode his mount along rounding the Home Turn to maintain its position, however, CHEVALIER PRINCE was racing greenly and laying out and it took him some time to balance up the horse in the early part of the Straight. He added he slapped the horse down the shoulder on a number of occasions at the entrance to the Straight and near the 350 Metres CHEVALIER PRINCE again got its head on the side and lay out. He said he again balanced up the horse whilst continuing to ride it along and CHEVALIER PRINCE did not quicken in the early part of the Straight and was only one-paced. He said after the 200 Metres CHEVALIER PRINCE commenced to finish off the race better and near the 150 Metres he considered pursuing a run to the inside of BREEZE OF SPRING as that horse was shifting out under pressure. He said as he directed CHEVALIER PRINCE in approaching the 100 Metres with a view to taking this run, BREEZE OF SPRING was straightened by its rider and SKYEY SUPREME to the inside of that horse shifted out and therefore he directed CHEVALIER PRINCE to the outside of BREEZE OF SPRING. He added after being shifted out, he placed CHEVALIER PRINCE under full pressure and the horse then closed off the race strongly. M Chadwick was advised that whilst the Stewards accepted that CHEVALIER PRINCE had raced greenly in the middle stages and in the early part of the Straight, they were of the opinion that he had the opportunity to place CHEVALIER PRINCE under more pressure than he did after balancing up that horse in the early part of the Straight. He was told that his riding of CHEVALIER PRINCE in the early part of the Straight had come under notice and in future he must ride his mounts, irrespective of their race experience, in such a manner to ensure they are properly tested so that his riding is not open to query. A veterinary inspection of CHEVALIER PRINCE immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucus in the horse’s trachea. A veterinary inspection of COLONEL immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. COLONEL, PRESIDENT’S CHOICE and HARD PROMISE were sent for sampling.