23/12/2023  Shatin  Race 6

SUPER TEN (D362): A veterinary inspection immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. SOLID SHALAA (H228): Bumped at the start. PERFETTO (G198): Crowded on jumping and then from a wide barrier was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Sent for sampling post-race. HAPPY FOR ALL (H181): From the 400 Metres until approaching the 200 Metres was badly held up for clear running. ISLAND GOLDEN (H018): Bumped on the hindquarters soon after the start. Lay in under pressure in the Home Straight. Raced wide and without cover for the majority of the event. BEYOND TURBO (H335): Near the 500 Metres was bumped by SOLID SHALAA which lay out and away from HAPPY FOR ALL. After the race, an endoscopic examination was conducted on BEYOND TURBO at the request of Trainer C S Shum. The Veterinary Surgeon said this examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse’s trachea. Before being allowed to race again, BEYOND TURBO will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. HAPPYDEARHAPPYDEER (J002): Jumped only fairly. SMILING COLLECTOR (G128): After the race, K Teetan reported that when left without cover his mount raced too keenly and as a result was left without a finishing effort. A veterinary inspection immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. VOLCANIC SPARK (H388): Bumped at the start. Approaching the 400 Metres was held up for clear running behind SUPER TEN and then shifted to the inside of NATURAL GOLD after the 200 Metres to secure clear running. FIGHTING MACHINE (J015): Near the 1200 Metres was steadied when crowded by BEYOND TURBO (C L Chau) which shifted in before being corrected by its rider. C L Chau was reprimanded. Sent for sampling post-race. DEVAS TWELVE (H435): Near the 400 Metres became unbalanced when bumped by ISLAND GOLDEN which lay in. RED MAVERICK (J067): Jumped awkwardly and then was crowded shortly after the start. For some distance after the 1200 Metres got its head up when racing keenly. NATURAL GOLD (E402): At declaration time, L Hewitson was declared as the rider of both ISLAND GOLDEN and NATURAL GOLD. It was established that L Hewitson had a firm commitment to ride ISLAND GOLDEN. As such, the Stewards permitted L Ferraris to be substituted as the rider of NATURAL GOLD. For this declaration error, Trainer D J Whyte was fined $2,000. MAXIMIZE HEART (D311): When questioned regarding his riding rounding the Home Turn and in the early part of the Home Straight, A Atzeni stated that he was instructed to take up a midfield position with cover if possible and that to hold the horse up for a final run in the Home Straight as MAXIMIZE HEART only has a short sprint. He said after settling back in the field when following the favourite in the event FIGHTING MACHINE, he was content to remain racing behind that runner approaching the Home Turn, but then elected to shift to its outside near the 500 Metres when FIGHTING MACHINE initially did not improve. He added as a result he then became held up for clear running behind BEYOND TURBO before shifting to that runner’s inside approaching the 300 Metres whereby he secured clear running and MAXIMIZE HEART finished the race off well. When questioned if there was an opportunity to shift to the outside on the Home Turn and provide his mount with a clear run sooner than what it had obtained, A Atzeni stated that bearing in mind his instructions, he felt it would be best to ride MAXIMIZE HEART between horses to save it up for a final run to the finish. Trainer C H Yip confirmed the instructions issued. The Stewards advised Jockey Atzeni that, in their opinion, he would have been better suited to shift to the outside and obtain the position that PERFETTO eventually took advantage of which would have provided MAXIMIZE HEART with clear and uninterrupted running sooner than what it received in this race.