01/10/2013  Shatin  Race 8

GOLD-FUN began awkwardly. HELENE SPIRIT lost its right front plate shortly after the start. From wide barriers, DESTINED FOR GLORY, FREE JUDGEMENT and RAINBOW CHIC were all taken across behind runners shortly after the start. Making the first turn near the 900 Metres, RAINBOW CHIC got its head up on a number of occasions when proving difficult to settle. Approaching the 500 Metres, BLAZING SPEED was steadied and shifted to the outside of XTENSION after racing tight between that horse and HELENE SPIRIT. From the entrance to the Straight until the 200 Metres, BULLISH CHAMPION was badly held up when unable to obtain clear running to the inside of PENGLAI XIANZI. After passing the 200 Metres, BULLISH CHAMPION was then checked and shifted to the outside of PENGLAI XIANZI, however, continued to be held up behind the tiring ADMIRATION. As a consequence, BULLISH CHAMPION was unable to be properly tested in the Straight. DESTINED FOR GLORY had difficulty obtaining clear running in the early part of the Straight. The Stewards considered a protest/objection lodged by Z Purton, the rider of RAINBOW CHIC, 4th placed, against HELENE SPIRIT (A Suborics), which finished 3rd, alleging interference to his mount near the 300 Metres. After taking evidence from all parties concerned and after viewing the videos, the Stewards found that after being held up for clear running behind HELENE SPIRIT, RAINBOW CHIC was shifted to the inside of that horse approaching the 300 Metres in an attempt to secure clear running between HELENE SPIRIT and ADMIRATION. It was further established that near the 300 Metres HELENE SPIRIT shifted in and ADMIRATION shifted out slightly which resulted in RAINBOW CHIC being steadied when disappointed for running between those horses. As the Stewards were of the opinion that RAINBOW CHIC had not properly established running between HELENE SPIRIT and ADMIRATION, the protest/objection was overruled and weighed-in declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge. After this, RAINBOW CHIC was badly held up for clear running until approaching the 100 Metres. Passing the 200 Metres, PACKING OK, which was commencing to give ground, was steadied when crowded for room between AKEED MOFEED an REAL SPECIALIST (N Pinna) which shifted in under pressure. N Pinna was severely reprimanded and advised that in similar circumstances he would be expected to stop riding and straighten his mount at the earliest opportunity to prevent it from shifting ground and causing interference to other runners. Throughout the race, XTENSION travelled wide and without cover. When questioned regarding his riding of AKEED MOFEED in the Straight, D Whyte stated that he commenced to ride his mount along rounding the Home Turn so as to follow GOLD-FUN which he believed to be a strong chance in the race and which was travelling well at this stage. He said at the entrance to the Straight AKEED MOFEED commenced to hang in badly and he had to take measures to correct AKEED MOFEED to prevent it from running in across the heels of BLAZING SPEED which at this time was shifting out into clear running. He said it took him some time to balance AKEED MOFEED so as to prevent it from continuing to hang in and this included changing his whip into his right hand passing the 300 Metres. He added after this whilst AKEED MOFEED raced more genuinely, the horse continued to want to lay in and over the concluding stages was awkwardly placed inside the heels of REAL SPECIALIST which shifted in. He said because of this he was not able to ride AKEED MOFEED out to the line. He said irrespective of not being able to fully test AKEED MOFEED over the concluding stages, he was of the belief that AKEED MOFEED raced disappointingly and he expressed this to the horse’s trainer, Mr R Gibson, as well as the fact that the horse had wanted to hang in badly in the early part of the Straight. D Whyte was advised that whilst the Stewards accepted that AKEED MOFEED did hang in badly in the early part of the Straight, nonetheless he would have been expected to test his mount earlier than he did given that AKEED MOFEED had appeared to be racing tractably passing the 300 Metres. He was further advised to ensure that he rides his mounts in such a manner in the future so that there is no room for query. M Chadwick pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in that following the running of this race he did strike a panel in the wall of the entrance way to the Jockeys' Room, resulting in damage to a fire alarm.  For this breach, M Chadwick was fined the sum of $5,000. A veterinary inspection of AKEED MOFEED and BULLISH CHAMPION immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. BULLISH CHAMPION, GOLD-FUN and BLAZING SPEED were sent for sampling.