28/12/2012  Happy Valley  Race 2

ELEPHANT MAGIC was withdrawn on 27.12.12 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right fore) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter JACK’S GEM (T Angland). Before being allowed to race again, ELEPHANT MAGIC will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. NO TIES shifted in at the start, resulting in SUGAR PEGASUS being crowded for room and taken onto GOAL AND GOLD which became unbalanced. JACK’S GEM began awkwardly and made heavy contact with SOLAR UP at the start. YOUNG TALENT was slow to begin. MR AWARD began awkwardly and shortly after the start bumped SURFER BOY. From wide barriers, MR AWARD and PURE FORCE were taken across behind runners shortly after the start. After the 900 Metres, NOBODY BUT YOU was awkwardly placed close to the heels of MULTIEXPRESS. Apprentice K C Ng (SURFER BOY) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that passing the 600 Metres he steadied his mount, causing the tempo of the race to slacken abruptly, resulting in MULTIEXPRESS being checked away from the heels of SURFER BOY and causing SOLAR UP to also be severely checked away from the heels of MULTIEXPRESS and near the 500 Metres striking the heels of NOBODY BUT YOU and blundering. When SOLAR UP was checked, MR AWARD and NO TIES, which were following, were hampered. JACK’S GEM, which was following MR AWARD, was obliged to shift out away from the heels of that horse, resulting in PURE FORCE being bumped and taken wider. GOAL AND GOLD, which was following NO TIES, was also hampered in consequence. Apprentice Ng was suspended from riding in races for a period to expire on Thursday, 17 January 2013 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, 9 January 2013. After the 300 Metres, SUGAR PEGASUS and PURE FORCE raced tight as SUGAR PEGASUS shifted out to obtain clear running. Passing the 250 Metres, T Angland dropped his whip. At the 200 Metres, NO TIES, which was laying in, was shifted out away from the heels of APOLLO CAVALIER. Near the 100 Metres, APOLLO CAVALIER, which was commencing to give ground, was steadied away from the heels of NO TIES which shifted in when improving. Over the concluding stages, NO TIES raced tight between YOUNG TALENT and NOBODY BUT YOU (M L Yeung) which shifted in. Then close to the finishing line, NO TIES bumped the hindquarters of YOUNG TALENT, resulting in that horse becoming unbalanced and causing NO TIES to be checked passing the winning post. M L Yeung was reprimanded and advised to ensure that he makes every endeavour to keep his mounts on a straight course in similar circumstances. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of APOLLO CAVALIER, D Whyte stated that he had to make a considerable amount of use of APOLLO CAVALIER to cross runners to his inside which he was able to do after the 800 Metres. He said, in his opinion, the disappointing performance of APOLLO CAVALIER could be attributed to the circumstances of the race when carrying top weight of 133 lbs. A veterinary inspection of APOLLO CAVALIER after the race did not show any significant findings. After the race, an endoscopic examination was conducted on MR AWARD at the request of Trainer L Ho. The Veterinary Surgeon said this examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea. Before being allowed to race again, MR AWARD will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of SOLAR UP after the race did not show any significant findings other than the horse had lost its left front plate. YOUNG TALENT and NOBODY BUT YOU were sent for sampling.