22/01/2017  Shatin  Race 10

Prior to the start being effected, HIGH SPIRIT became fractious and as the gates opened lifted its front feet off the ground and consequently was slow to begin. On jumping, PIKACHU bounded in the air and lost ground. From wide barriers, TRAVEL SUCCESSOR and AGREE were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. AGREE lost its right hind plate at the 1200 Metres. After the 700 Metres, CHARITY KINGDOM was left racing wide and without cover. Near the 200 Metres, MIGHTY MAVERICK was checked when crowded for room inside MONGOLIAN KING (O Murphy) which shifted in abruptly after being struck with the whip. Whilst this incident was one of some significance, the Stewards were satisfied that Jockey Murphy had corrected his mount as quickly as could be expected of a rider in those circumstances and accordingly no further action was taken. When questioned, S Clipperton stated that he had been asked to obtain a forward position on JOLLY JOLLY in accordance with the horse’s usual racing pattern. He said it was anticipated that HOUSE OF FUN and possibly TIME WARP may be ridden to obtain leading positions, however, if it was possible to cross those horses without having to make too much use of JOLLY JOLLY, he should attempt to lead, alternatively, if those horses maintained their position and he felt he would have to make too much use of JOLLY JOLLY to cross runners to its inside, it was permissible for him to take a trailing position. He said in the early stages he rode his mount along to obtain a forward position, however, TIME WARP, which was drawn immediately to the inside of JOLLY JOLLY, was also being ridden aggressively and as HOUSE OF FUN, which was racing to the inside of TIME WARP, was able to take up a forward position without being ridden along, he judged that he would have had to make too much use of JOLLY JOLLY to cross those horses, therefore he steadied JOLLY JOLLY after the 1300 Metres and was able to obtain a trailing position on the rail behind HOUSE OF FUN. He said JOLLY JOLLY enjoyed a good run throughout the race, however, the horse was reluctant to improve into tight running inside HOUSE OF FUN after the 300 Metres. He added near the 200 Metres JOLLY JOLLY became unbalanced when HOUSE OF FUN shifted in marginally, however, at this time JOLLY JOLLY was not responding as he expected it would. He said he gathered up JOLLY JOLLY after this incident and rode the horse out to the end of the race and, in his opinion, the horse finished off the race satisfactorily. A veterinary inspection of JOLLY JOLLY immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of HOUSE OF FUN, J Moreira stated that the horse, which was stepping up from 1200 Metres to 1400 Metres today, was able to obtain the lead in the early stages without being pressured to do so. He said he was therefore surprised that after the 1200 Metres HOUSE OF FUN commenced to travel keenly given that he had not had to ride the horse along to be in the forward position. He said HOUSE OF FUN travelled too keenly in the early and middle stages and consequently was not able to finish off the race as well as he had anticipated. A veterinary inspection of HOUSE OF FUN immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of TIME WARP immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. HOUSE OF FUN, MR POTENTIAL and MONGOLIAN KING were sent for sampling.