15/02/2009  Shatin  Race 4

BLUE SKY and DYNAMIC were slow to begin. At the 1400 Metres, MEDIC FORTUNE, which was proving difficult to settle, got its head up when being steadied away from the heels of INTERCHINA STAR which shifted in. In the early stages, RICE FIELD proved very difficult to settle. Making the turn at the 800 Metres, DISGUISE was left racing wide and without cover. C Soumillon (INTERCHINA STAR) said he had been advised the horse in the past had raced ungenerously when travelling inside other runners. He said he was aware LUCKYME would be ridden to go forward and he felt if he shifted to the rail, that runner would travel to his outside and INTERCHINA STAR would not relax and race truly. He said because of this when travelling down the Back Straight he remained racing away from the rail and approaching the turn at the 800 Metres after being crossed by LUCKYME he shifted across to race outside that horse. He said shortly afterwards INTERCHINA STAR came under pressure and did not respond to his riding. He said in his opinion the poor performance of INTERCHINA STAR was due to the horse racing “flat”. INTERCHINA STAR was sent for an official veterinary inspection and sampling. RICE FIELD was sent for an official veterinary inspection. A veterinary inspection of INTERCHINA STAR and RICE FIELD after the race did not show any significant findings. DISGUISE and PRIME CHAMPION were sent for sampling.