21/11/2021  Shatin  Race 5

ENTRUSTED was crowded for room on jumping between ABOVE which got its head up on jumping and began awkwardly and CHEVALIER PRINCE which shifted out. SUPERBELLA began only fairly. Shortly after the start, CHEVALIER PRINCE got its head up and became unbalanced of its own accord when being steadied to obtain cover. From wide barriers, NORDIC SKY and GOLDEN SPECTRUM were steadied in the early stages to obtain cover. Passing the 1700 Metres and again near the 1500 Metres, SUPERBELLA got its head up when racing close to the heels of ABOVE. After obtaining a position with cover behind ENZEMBLE after the 1400 Metres, PRECISE EXPRESS proved very difficult to settle and got its head up when racing close to the heels of that horse. Approaching the 1100 Metres, STIMULATION was taken wide and without cover by HELENE ALLIBOR which improved to the outside of BLASTOISE. After the 1000 Metres, PRECISE EXPRESS was checked away from the heels of ENZEMBLE and in doing so shifted out and bumped ABOVE, resulting in both horses becoming unbalanced. Approaching the 800 Metres, ENZEMBLE commenced to travel keenly and was shifted out away from the heels of STIMULATION. After this, ENZEMBLE was left racing wide and without cover and was allowed to improve its position to race outside the lead after the 600 Metres. BLASTOISE lost its left hind plate after the 700 Metres. After the 600 Metres, CHEVALIER PRINCE was held up behind BLASTOISE which commenced to give ground abruptly. A veterinary inspection of BLASTOISE immediately following the race revealed that the horse was displaying an irregular heart rhythm. Before being allowed to race again, BLASTOISE will be required to perform satisfactorily in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. Approaching the 300 Metres, LEAP OF FAITH got its head on the side and lay out towards the hindquarters of ENZEMBLE, resulting in both horses brushing passing the 300 Metres. Approaching the 200 Metres, GOLDEN SPECTRUM was shifted in away from the heels of GOD OF DRAGON. Passing the 100 Metres, ENZEMBLE was steadied away from the heels of HELENE ALLIBOR (B Shinn) which shifted in. B Shinn was reprimanded and told to ensure that he exercises more care in similar circumstances. L Ferraris (BLASTOISE) was fined the sum of $5,000 for using the whip on two occasions in the backhand manner on a horse which was clearly out of contention. When questioned, C L Chau stated that he was asked to ride GOD OF DRAGON where it was comfortable depending on the manner in which the horse began. He said he was told if GOD OF DRAGON began well, he should take advantage of that and obtain a position behind the speed with cover, however, if GOD OF DRAGON did not begin well, then he should steady his mount and obtain cover. He said when GOD OF DRAGON began well and SUPERBELLA, which was drawn to GOD OF DRAGON’s immediate inside, was slow to begin, he elected to ride his mount along in the early stages as he felt that, given the manner in which SUPERBELLA began, to steady his mount would have resulted in GOD OF DRAGON getting too far out of its ground. He said he did consider obtaining a position behind STIMULATION approaching the winning post on the first occasion, however, given that CHEVALIER PRINCE had obtained a trailing position behind that horse, he believed that this would have resulted in GOD OF DRAGON having to race wide and therefore after the winning post on the first occasion he rode his mount along to clear that horse. He added after riding his mount along to clear HELENE ALLIBOR after the 1700 Metres, he then steadied GOD OF DRAGON to obtain a trailing position behind LEAP OF FAITH after the 1400 Metres. He said GOD OF DRAGON travelled well throughout the middle stages and, in his opinion, improved into the race well prior to the 600 Metres. He said however that when ENZEMBLE improved around GOD OF DRAGON passing the 600 Metres, his mount immediately came under pressure and then did not finish off the race. A veterinary inspection of GOD OF DRAGON immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of ENZEMBLE immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea. Before being allowed to race again, ENZEMBLE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of GOLDEN SPECTRUM immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. ENTRUSTED and CHEVALIER PRINCE were sent for sampling.