23/03/2014  Shatin  Race 7

HECO RIDER was slow to begin. ENCHANTING DIAMOND began awkwardly and was taken across behind runners shortly after the start. From wide barriers, ISLAND GARDEN and JUN JU were taken across behind runners in the early stages. In the early and middle stages, SECRET AGENT proved very difficult to settle and making the turn near the 900 Metres got its head up and shifted out across the heels of MIGHTY EQUUS. After the 300 Metres, THOR THE GREATEST shifted out under pressure and bumped SPURS ON which was giving ground. Then approaching the 200 Metres, THOR THE GREATEST and SPURS ON both became unbalanced due to THOR THE GREATEST continuing to lay out under pressure. ISLAND GARDEN was unable to obtain clear running until after the 300 Metres. Throughout the race, EAGLE KING travelled wide and without cover. When questioned, O Doleuze (MIGHTY EQUUS) stated that he had been asked to ride the horse in a forward position. He said after viewing MIGHTY EQUUS’ previous races, he was of the opinion that, from the outside barrier, MIGHTY EQUUS would be able to lead today’s field without too much use having to be made of the horse as it had previously shown good pace in its races. He said after being loaded MIGHTY EQUUS became fractious and kicked the back of the gates. He said MIGHTY EQUUS began well and he immediately commenced to push the horse forward, however, despite being ridden along in the early stages, MIGHTY EQUUS did not show the speed he had anticipated and he was obliged to ride it along quite vigorously in an attempt to have it in a position where it could clear runners to its inside. He added after the 1300 Metres he assessed whether it was possible to obtain a position with cover as MIGHTY EQUUS was not responding to being ridden along, however, due to the make-up of the field at that time, it was not possible for him to obtain cover. He said he continued to allow MIGHTY EQUUS to stride forward and it was not until approaching the 900 Metres that the horse commenced to travel better. He said however by this time MIGHTY EQUUS was left racing very wide and was obliged to travel in a four wide position without cover for the remainder of the race. When questioned, C Y Ho (SUPER TEAM) stated that in the early part of the Straight he shifted his mount out in an endeavour to find clear running as runners in front were either commencing to give ground or under pressure. He said he noticed HECO RIDER to his inside being held up for clear running behind THOR THE GREATEST before being shifted to the inside of that horse and he did not believe that a clear run was going to eventuate at that time. He said SUPER TEAM was badly held up for clear running in the early part of the Straight and when THOR THE GREATEST commenced to hang out after the 400 Metres, this presented clear running for KYNAM, which was positioned to the inside of SUPER TEAM, to improve. He added however that at this time he had committed to obtain clear running either inside or outside of SPURS ON and was not able to shift in quickly enough to take advantage of THOR THE GREATEST shifting out until approaching the 200 Metres. He said this resulted in SUPER TEAM being badly held up for clear running until that point in the race. When questioned regarding his riding of SPURS ON, K Teetan stated that he had been asked to ride the horse in a similar manner to how he rode the horse at its last start, that is, in a midfield position. He said on that occasion a number of horses drawn inside SPURS ON were ridden aggressively in the early stages and he was obliged to shift across behind those horses and obtain a midfield position. He said on jumping today, he had intended to ride SPURS ON in a similar manner, however, AMAZING GIFT and SUPER TEAM, which were drawn inside SPURS ON, were not ridden along out of the barriers and in fact were being steadied to obtain trailing positions. He said he observed HECO RIDER, which was drawn to the inside of SUPER TEAM, being slow to begin, therefore he felt that were he to steady SPURS ON, having in mind the way that AMAZING GIFT and SUPER TEAM were ridden, this would have resulted in SPURS ON being much further back in the field than had been intended. He said therefore he made a decision to ride his mount along in the early stages with a view to crossing those horses and then steadying to allow horses drawn wide the opportunity to go forward and provide SPURS ON with cover. He added he had to ride SPURS ON along for a short distance after the start to cross runners to his inside and expected horses such as EAGLE KING and MIGHTY EQUUS to go forward of SPURS ON and provide his mount with cover albeit that the horse would have to be ridden slightly more forward than it had been at its most recent start. He said however that EAGLE KING, MIGHTY EQUUS and SECRET AGENT did not continue forward and this resulted in SPURS ON having to race outside the leader and in a much forward position than had been intended. After viewing the videos, K Teetan conceded that he had made an error of judgement in riding SPURS ON positively in the early stages, but reiterated that the circumstances of the race had resulted in him making the decision that he did. K Teetan was advised that, in the opinion of the Stewards, he had erred in not initially attempting to ride SPURS ON more conservatively so as to obtain a midfield position as instructed. He was further advised that whilst jockeys should always ride with initiative and judgement, nonetheless on this occasion he should have made more of an attempt than he did in the early stages of the race to ride to his instructions. K Teetan was reprimanded. A veterinary inspection of SPURS ON immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of AMAZING GIFT immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. KYNAM and ISLAND GARDEN were sent for sampling.