31/10/2010  Happy Valley  Race 5

CITY DRAGON was slow to begin. HOME WITH GLORY was slow to begin and consequently raced back in the field. H W Lai (SOU MA TAM) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that near the 1000 Metres after allowing SOU MA TAM to shift inwards at an acute angle, he failed to take corrective measures to straighten his mount sooner than he did which resulted in SOU MA TAM directing BAITIWU inwards onto RARE TREASURE and causing RARE TREASURE to be checked when badly crowded for room between BAITIWU and GOOD LOOKING WATCH. H W Lai was suspended from riding in races for a period to expire on Thursday, 25 November 2010 on which day he may resume race riding (2 Hong Kong racedays). The commencement of the suspension was deferred until after the Happy Valley racemeeting on Wednesday, 17 November 2010. Over the final 50 Metres, HOME WITH GLORY, which was closing off the race, was held up and unable to improve when racing behind THINK BIG and inside WATCH FIRST. Because of this, HOME WITH GLORY was not ridden out to the end of the race as it normally would be. For the majority of the race, SOU MA TAM travelled wide and without cover and in the Straight gave ground. When questioned regarding THINK BIG being ridden in a forward position, Trainer C H Yip stated that he did not feel that today’s race would be run at a quick tempo and as he formed the view from earlier races in the day that horses racing in forward positions were advantaged on today’s track, he instructed W C Marwing to endeavour to take up a position behind the leaders if possible. He said he felt that if THINK BIG were to be ridden back in the field today, the horse would not be suited by the tempo of the race and the track conditions and therefore would be left with too much to do in the Straight. A veterinary inspection of SOU MA TAM after the race did not show any significant findings. ALL THE WINNERS and RARE TREASURE were sent for sampling.