12/05/2008  Shatin  Race 7

ADAIKALI began awkwardly, then lost further ground when crowded for room between PROFITING CHAMPION and SKYVIEW BAR, both of which shifted ground. CLASSIC NAVIGATOR was slow to begin. Shortly after the start, YUE LU TREASURE was crowded for room between GOOD TO GO and IRISH JIG which shifted in. Approaching the 400 Metres, after initially bumping the hindquarters of ALWAYS GIGGLE, ADAIKALI became unbalanced and checked when awkwardly placed between ALWAYS GIGGLE and GOOD TO GO. When placed under pressure after the 400 Metres KINGS FALCON hung in and proved difficult to ride. For some distance after the 400 Metres, REGENCY HORSE hung out. Over the concluding stages, SKYVIEW BAR was carried wider by WARRIOR which shifted ground. Because of this, SKYVIEW BAR was not ridden right out to the end of the race as it normally would be. Just prior to the winning post, NATURAL BLITZ broke down. G Boss (IRISH JIG) explained near the 100 Metres his mount which was hanging in was reluctant to improve into a run between CLASSIC NAVIGATOR and KINGS FALCON which shifted ground while hanging. He said because of the shift from KINGS FALCON, he was awkwardly placed close to the heels of CLASSIC NAVIGATOR for a considerable distance and was not able to continue riding his mount out. He said over about the final 50 Metres when running again presented itself between KINGS FALCON and CLASSIC NAVIGATOR, IRISH JIG continued to race ungenerously and close to the heels of CLASSIC NAVIGATOR. He said he felt that if he rode IRISH JIG out at this portion of the race, it would shift in onto the heels of CLASSIC NAVIGATOR, therefore he did not ride his mount out to the end of the race as he normally would. The explanation of G Boss was reported. ELEGANT WIN was sent for an official veterinary inspection. A veterinary inspection of ELEGANT WIN after the race did not show any significant findings. WARRIOR, ALWAYS GIGGLE and PROFITING CHAMPION were sent for sampling.