11/03/2023  Shatin  Race 8

ULTRA EXPRESS was checked on jumping when crowded between SMILING COLLECTOR and WIDE BLUE YONDER which after bumping heavily with UNIVERSAL HORIZON shifted out. FAULDS jumped only fairly and then raced tight to the inside of HORSESAIN BOLT for some distance shortly after the start. STAR OF YUEN LONG, which was fractious in the barriers, jumped awkwardly and then was bumped by CLASSIC POSH which shifted out. From a wide barrier, NORDIC COMBINED was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Near the 1300 Metres, SMILING COLLECTOR was steadied to avoid the heels of HORSESAIN BOLT (M F Poon) which shifted in when not quite clear. M F Poon was advised to exercise more care. For some distance near the 800 Metres, FIGHTING STAR raced tight to the inside of PUBLICIST when endeavouring to hold its position to the inside of that runner. Near the 800 Metres, FAULDS was steadied to avoid CLASSIC POSH (Apprentice Y L Chung) which shifted in when not fully clear. Apprentice Chung was advised to exercise more care. After this, CLASSIC POSH raced wide and without cover. The performance of CLASSIC POSH, which finished tailed out, was considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, CLASSIC POSH will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of CLASSIC POSH immediately following the race found that horse to be lame in its right front leg. Over the concluding stages, HORSESAIN BOLT could not be ridden out to the finish when racing tight to the inside of NORDIC COMBINED which shifted in slightly. After the race, L Ferraris reported that after being crowded in the early stages SMILING COLLECTOR was inclined to race keenly throughout the early and middle stages and for some distance along the Back Straight raced tight to the inside of FAULDS. He added as a result SMILING COLLECTOR found it difficult to make up ground in the Straight. A veterinary inspection of SMILING COLLECTOR immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. When questioned regarding his riding of WIDE BLUE YONDER in the Straight, H Bowman stated that after following UNIVERSAL HORIZON into the Home Straight, he had observed that runner travelling well but having an inclination to lay out. He said for this reason he elected to improve into a narrow run to the inside of UNIVERSAL HORIZON and outside of PUBLICIST. He added that when he placed WIDE BLUE YONDER under pressure, the horse, which was racing in blinkers for the first time, was reluctant to proceed into this run and as a consequence he was unable to fully test his mount between the 250 Metres and the 150 Metres. He added that after shifting to the outside of UNIVERSAL HORIZON near the 150 Metres, WIDE BLUE YONDER finished the race off reasonably well. The Stewards found the tactics adopted by Jockey Bowman were reasonable in the circumstances. A veterinary inspection of FAULDS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of ULTRA EXPRESS immediately following the race which included an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse’s trachea. Before being allowed to race again, ULTRA EXPRESS will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. SMILING COLLECTOR, RUN RUN BUDDY and UNIVERSAL HORIZON were sent for sampling.