01/03/2014  Shatin  Race 7

ALL THE BEST was difficult to load. Before being allowed to race again, ALL THE BEST will be required to perform satisfactorily in a stalls test. INTELLECTUAL GLIDE lifted its front feet off the ground as the start was effected, shifted out and in doing so bumped SPARKLING B which began awkwardly. TARZAN I AM began awkwardly, shifted in and in doing so made contact with ALL THE BEST on two occasions, causing that horse to become unbalanced. From the outside barriers, CHEERS JOY and BEAUTY AHEAD were taken across behind runners shortly after the start. Approaching the 1100 Metres, TANGO FIRE was momentarily awkwardly placed inside the heels of STAR OF BOND. STAR OF BOND got its head on the side and hung out rounding the Home Turn. At the entrance to the Straight, CHEERS JOY was shifted out away from the heels of FORMULA WON. When questioned, M Chadwick stated that he had been instructed to ride KEY WITNESS positively in the early stages and take up a forward position. He said it was hoped that KEY WITNESS would be able to race in about 3rd or 4th position if the circumstances of the race in the early stages proceeded as anticipated. He said in accordance with his instructions he rode his mount aggressively in the early stages, however, a number of runners to his inside were also ridden positively and he had to make more use of KEY WITNESS to cross runners to his inside and ultimately obtain a position outside the leader STAR OF BOND. He added KEY WITNESS then travelled satisfactorily, however, came under pressure at the 200 Metres. He said whilst the horse did not close off the race, he attributed this to the amount of use that he had to make of KEY WITNESS to cross runners to his inside in the early stages. Trainer A S Cruz stated it had been hoped that although KEY WITNESS started from barrier 9, the horse would be able to obtain cover in a forward position. He said although KEY WITNESS came from the rear of the field at its most recent start when successful, it had not been intended for the horse to be ridden in that manner and his instructions to Jockey Chadwick were identical to those given to its rider at its last start when the circumstances of the race resulted in the horse being ridden well back. He said whilst he was disappointed that KEY WITNESS had not been able to be ridden with cover today, he felt that the circumstances of the race in the early stages resulted in the horse having to be ridden outside the lead as it was travelling very wide in the run to the first turn. He added, wherever possible, KEY WITNESS will be ridden with cover in the future. A veterinary inspection of G-ONE LEADER immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. STAR OF BOND and TANGO FIRE were sent for sampling.