09/05/2020  Shatin  Race 3

FLYING BONUS began awkwardly and then was bumped by DECISIVE TWELVE which shifted in. A short distance after the start, FLYING BONUS was bumped by UNIVERSAL CROWN which shifted out after receiving contact from BLAZING CONNECTION. After this, UNIVERSAL CROWN was steadied to obtain cover. ILUVATAAR was crowded for room shortly after the start between RUN THE TABLE and ARMOR STAR which got its head on the side and shifted in away from GENERAL TRUMP. From the outside barrier, KELMIMI WINS was steadied in the early stages to obtain cover. Near the 1050 Metres, GENERAL TRUMP was inconvenienced by ILUVATAAR which shifted out. Approaching the 1000 Metres, GALLANT LEGACY was steadied away from the heels of FLYING BONUS (Z Purton) which shifted in when not properly clear. Z Purton was advised to exercise more care when shifting ground. After the 800 Metres, ILUVATAAR was awkwardly placed behind RUN THE TABLE. After the 550 Metres, KELMIMI WINS was hampered and shifted to the outside of BLAZING CONNECTION which was taken wider by ILUVATAAR which made the Home Turn awkwardly after being awkwardly placed close to the heels of RUN THE TABLE. After the 500 Metres, GALLANT LEGACY became unbalanced when awkwardly placed close to the heels of FLYING BONUS and racing tight inside DECISIVE TWELVE. Then passing the 400 Metres, GALLANT LEGACY was directed to the inside of FLYING BONUS in an attempt to obtain clear running, however, was unable to continue improving inside FLYING BONUS due to APEX TOP improving inside GALLANT LEGACY. GALLANT LEGACY was then awkwardly placed close to the heels of FLYING BONUS and passing the 300 Metres was directed to the outside of that horse to obtain clear running. Passing the 100 Metres, UNITED WE STAND momentarily raced tight inside APEX TOP which improved into tight running inside FLYING BONUS. In the Straight, GENERAL TRUMP lay in under pressure and passing the 100 Metres raced tight outside DECISIVE TWELVE which shifted out under pressure. BLAZING CONNECTION travelled wide and without cover throughout the race and in the Straight gave ground. A veterinary inspection of BLAZING CONNECTION immediately following the race found that horse to have bled from both nostrils. When questioned, M F Poon stated that, from a wide barrier, UNITED WE STAND began only fairly and he had to make a lot of use of the horse in the early stages to obtain the lead as instructed. He said it was not until near the 900 Metres that he was able to cross FLYING BONUS to race on the rail in the lead. He said after having to be ridden along for such a distance in the early stages, UNITED WE STAND would not relax in the lead which resulted in the race being run at a faster tempo than had been hoped and UNITED WE STAND opening a margin over the remainder of the field. When questioned, M L Yeung stated that he was asked to ride ARMOR STAR, which was having its first race start today, in about a midfield position. He said ARMOR STAR was awkwardly placed inside the heels of GENERAL TRUMP shortly after the start and he rode his mount along in an endeavour to improve his position. He said, despite being ridden along, ARMOR STAR did not show any early speed and settled back in the field. He said after being awkwardly placed close to the heels of ILUVATAAR near the 1100 Metres, he shifted ARMOR STAR in to race on the rail and immediately commenced to vigorously ride his mount along to improve its position. He said he had to ride ARMOR STAR along throughout the early and middle stages including slapping the horse down the shoulder with the whip as the horse was not showing any early speed. He added he had to ride it along approaching the 600 Metres to ensure that ARMOR STAR maintained its position inside UNIVERSAL CROWN. He said at the entrance to the Straight he dropped his right rein as he was riding ARMOR STAR along and the horse then did not quicken sufficiently to be able to improve to the outside of APEX TOP in the early part of the Straight which resulted in APEX TOP not being able to shift out near the 250 Metres and which resulted in ARMOR STAR being disappointed for running between that horse and UNIVERSAL CROWN. He said at this stage he was racing to the inside of the heels of UNIVERSAL CROWN and it was not available to him to shift to the outside of that horse without restraining his mount. He added also that UNITED WE STAND, which was racing on the rail, was giving ground noticeably and therefore he had to remain racing behind APEX TOP as it was not an option to shift behind UNITED WE STAND. He said after being held up for clear running ARMOR STAR was able to improve inside UNIVERSAL CROWN approaching the 100 Metres and the horse subsequently finished off the race strongly. A veterinary inspection of ILUVATAAR immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea and also found that horse to have sustained a minor puncture wound to the inside of the right hind pastern. Before being allowed to race again, ILUVATAAR will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. ILUVATAAR, GALLANT LEGACY and GENERAL TRUMP were sent for sampling.