12/02/2023  Shatin  Race 9

SWAN BAY was slow to begin. CHAMPION DRAGON shifted out at the start before being corrected by its rider, Apprentice Y L Chung. INTREPID WINNER shifted out on jumping and made contact with CAN’T GO WONG which became unbalanced when taken out, making contact with HIT THE SHOT. PERFECT TEAM was brushed at the start by ROUND THE EARTH which shifted in. Shortly after the start, QUANTUM PATCH shifted in and made contact with COPARTNER ELITES. From a wide barrier, INCANTO PREPARED was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. INCANTO PREPARED then raced keenly throughout the early and middle stages and making the turn passing the 900 Metres was steadied away from the heels of PRECISE EXPRESS and as a result shifted out and then became awkwardly placed close to the heels of YOUNG BRILLIANT. COPARTNER ELITES raced keenly in the middle stages. Near the 900 Metres, SWAN BAY raced tight to the inside of PRECISE EXPRESS and brushed the running rail for a short distance. After the 400 Metres, PERFECT TEAM became held up behind COPARTNER ELITES and near the 150 Metres was disappointed for clear running between COPARTNER ELITES and QUANTUM PATCH. Approaching the 100 Metres, PERFECT TEAM was then shifted to the inside of PEGASUS GENERAL to secure clear running and in doing so made contact with HIT THE SHOT. After the 300 Metres, PEGASUS GENERAL attempted to improve to the outside of CHAMPION DRAGON (Apprentice Y L Chung) as that runner commenced to shift out, resulting in PEGASUS GENERAL becoming held up on the heels of CHAMPION DRAGON and racing tight to the inside of COPARTNER ELITES for some distance approaching the 100 Metres. Apprentice Chung was advised that in similar circumstances he must stop riding and straighten his mounts sooner than he did on this occasion. Then over the concluding stages, PEGASUS GENERAL raced tight between CHAMPION DRAGON and COPARTNER ELITES. Over the concluding stages, PRECISE EXPRESS raced in restricted room between WOODFIRE BRO and ROUND THE EARTH, both of which shifted ground slightly. When questioned regarding his riding of CHAMPION DRAGON in the early stages and in particular the reason he allowed CAN’T GO WONG to cross his mount near the 1200 Metres, Apprentice Y L Chung stated that he expected to hold the lead on CHAMPION DRAGON and rode his mount accordingly in the early stages. He added that after passing the 1600 Metres CAN’T GO WONG commenced to improve to his outside and appeared to be racing keenly. He said when the pace of the race, in his opinion, appeared good and he was obliged to make some use of his mount to hold his position to the inside of CAN’T GO WONG, he elected to allow that runner to cross to avoid setting too fast a tempo and making too much use of his mount in the early stages. After considering Apprentice Chung’s explanation, the Stewards found that the tactics adopted by him were reasonable in the circumstances. After the race, K Teetan reported that after obtaining a forward position in the early stages, CAN’T GO WONG commenced to race keenly and as a result was obliged to allow his mount to cross CHAMPION DRAGON to lead the event. A veterinary inspection of HIT THE SHOT and QUANTUM PATCH immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. WOODFIRE BRO and CHAMPION DRAGON were sent for sampling.