08/12/2013  Shatin  Race 2

BULLISH FRIEND began awkwardly. From the outside barriers, WINNING LEADER and VICTOR DELIGHT were taken across behind runners shortly after the start. After the 1200 Metres, SEA DRAGON and EL ZONDA raced tight as SEA DRAGON attempted to shift in. Then approaching the 1100 Metres, SEA DRAGON became unbalanced after making contact with EL ZONDA. Throughout the race, SEA DRAGON travelled wide and without cover. When questioned, K C Leung stated that he had been instructed to lead on LEADING CITY as this was the horse’s usual racing pattern when racing over this distance. He said it was expected that BULLISH FRIEND would also be ridden in a forward position in the early stages and he was to take advantage of having been drawn barrier 1 and maintain the lead inside that horse if possible. He said in accordance with his instructions he gave LEADING CITY a good warm up behind the barriers prior to being loaded. He said when the start was effected LEADING CITY blundered and began only fairly. He said he then had to ride LEADING CITY along in the early stages to overcome the horse’s tardy start. He added it took a number of strides for LEADING CITY to become balanced and to show early speed and it was not until passing the 1200 Metres that he was able to establish the lead. He said after establishing the lead, he attempted to steady the tempo on LEADING CITY, however, the horse, which had been racing in 1200 Metre races of late, immediately proved difficult to settle and would not relax underneath him despite his attempts to have it do so. He said after the 1000 Metres LEADING CITY commenced to prove particularly difficult to settle and he was unable to prevent it from establishing a significant margin over the remainder of the field. K C Leung was advised that whilst the Stewards accepted that he had to make considerable use of LEADING CITY in the early stages to obtain the lead as instructed, nonetheless he must, wherever possible, ensure that horses are rated so as to provide them with every opportunity to close off the race. When questioned, M Chadwick (PENGLAI XIANZI) stated that he had been asked to ride the horse in 3rd or 4th position behind the leaders if possible. He said however that, as was the case last start, PENGLAI XIANZI did not begin well and therefore he elected, rather than ride his mount along, to shift it across behind runners and obtain a position with cover. He said having in mind the way that PENGLAI XIANZI began today, he felt that too much use would have had to be made of the horse to obtain a forward position as instructed. Mr A S Cruz, the trainer of PENGLAI XIANZI, confirmed that it had been intended for the horse to be ridden behind the speed today. He said it was anticipated that LEADING CITY would lead with BULLISH FRIEND to its outside and it was hoped that PENGLAI XIANZI could take a trailing position behind these horses. He added PENGLAI XIANZI did not begin well and appeared to him not to possess the same early speed that it had in some of its earlier races. He said it has always been his intention for the horse to be ridden in a forward position if possible in its races. FLAGSHIP SHINE and WINNING LEADER were sent for sampling.