29/03/2023  Shatin  Race 2

STORMTROUPER jumped only fairly and then soon after bumped with HAPPY TANGO which shifted in. LUCKY BANNER shifted out at the start, bumped THE BEST HERO and became unbalanced. COOL BLUE was hampered on jumping when crowded by SWEET DIAMOND which jumped awkwardly and shifted out, resulting in DARCI LEGEND, which was slow to begin, being crowded by COOL BLUE onto SUMMIT CHEERS. COOL BLUE lost its right front plate in the early stages. Near the 350 Metres, COOL BLUE became held up behind STORMTROUPER for a short distance before shifting to that runner’s outside to secure clear running. AWESOME TREASURE raced wide and without cover for the majority of the event. A veterinary inspection of AWESOME TREASURE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. After the race, S De Sousa (STORMTROUPER) stated that his mount did not travel well at any stage of the event and was under pressure a long way from the finish. A veterinary inspection of STORMTROUPER immediately following the race which included an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucus in the horse’s trachea. When questioned regarding his riding in the Straight, C Y Ho (DARCI LEGEND) stated that after settling back in the field, his mount commenced to respond to his riding in the early part of the Straight. He added that when making good ground inside the 200 Metres, he initially endeavoured to secure clear running between HANDSOME REBEL and SWEET DIAMOND, however, when those runners shifted ground slightly, he was disappointed for this run and as a result was obliged to check to avoid the heels of HANDSOME REBEL. He stated that he then shifted to the outside of HANDSOME REBEL whereby he was able to place his mount under pressure and DARCI LEGEND found the line well. HAPPY TANGO, LUCKY BANNER and I GIVE were sent for sampling.