05/10/2014  Shatin  Race 5

DRAGON BACHELOR was slow to begin. SPIRIT SOARING began awkwardly. For some distance after the 1600 Metres, OCEAN POWER was awkwardly placed outside the heels of TERRIFIC MASTER. After the 900 Metres, DRAGON PINS was left racing wide and without cover. When questioned, Y T Cheng (FIGHTING BOY) stated that he had been asked to ride his mount in a forward position as it was felt that the race would be run at a slow tempo. He said it was expected that SPIRIT SOARING might lead and if it was possible from barrier 4, he should attempt to obtain a position to the outside of that horse. He said he rode his mount along in the early stages to obtain the position outside SPIRIT SOARING and was then able to race in a one-off position when SPIRIT SOARING shifted further towards the rail after the 1500 Metres. He said he was content to allow FIGHTING BOY to maintain its position as FIGHTING BOY was travelling comfortably at what was, in his opinion, a slow tempo. He added however that at the 1200 Metres FIGHTING BOY shifted out and bumped TERRIFIC MASTER after which FIGHTING BOY commenced to travel more keenly. He said as SPIRIT SOARING was being steadied and given the tempo of the race to that point, he allowed FIGHTING BOY to stride forward to cross SPIRIT SOARING and raced on the rail in the lead rather than continue to steady his mount. He said at no stage did he have to ride FIGHTING BOY along to obtain the lead but rather the horse was able to improve its position without having to be pressured. He said given the way the race was being run at that time, he felt that this tactic provided FIGHTING BOY with the best opportunity to finish off the race as the horse was always travelling comfortably underneath him. A veterinary inspection of FIGHTING BOY immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious. When questioned, M L Yeung stated that he had been asked to ride TERRIFIC MASTER in a midfield position, similar to when the horse was successful when ridden by him at its most recent start. He said on that occasion he was obliged to ride TERRIFIC MASTER along in the early stages to obtain a midfield position whereas in contrast today, TERRIFIC MASTER began better than he expected and therefore he found himself in a forward position in the early stages. He said for a considerable distance he attempted to steady TERRIFIC MASTER to obtain cover behind FIGHTING BOY, however, by the time he was able to shift in behind that horse near the 1600 Metres, SUPER STRIKE had been aggressively ridden to his inside and because of this he was not able to shift in. He said when SPIRIT SOARING crossed to race on the rail and FIGHTING BOY followed that horse across, TERRIFIC MASTER was left racing in a three wide position without cover. He added TERRIFIC MASTER then travelled keenly and would not relax for him, however, he endeavoured to maintain his position behind the speed albeit in a position three wide and without cover. He said after the 1300 Metres OCEAN POWER was then ridden forward and he continued to steady TERRIFIC MASTER to obtain a position behind that horse. He said however that when OCEAN POWER improved its position, TERRIFIC MASTER commenced to prove even more difficult to settle and, despite his efforts, he was not able to get the horse to relax. He said accordingly he was not left with any other option other than to allow TERRIFIC MASTER to race outside of the leader FIGHTING BOY. He added whilst TERRIFIC MASTER was proving very difficult to settle, the tempo of the race in the early stages did not assist the horse in settling as, in his opinion, the pace of the race until about the 1200 Metres was quite slow. He said because of the manner in which TERRIFIC MASTER raced in the early and middle stages, the horse was then not able to finish off the race. Mr A S Cruz, the trainer of TERRIFIC MASTER, confirmed that he had asked M L Yeung to ride the horse in a similar position to its most recent start. He said after the horse was not able to obtain cover after beginning better than expected, it then would not settle given the tempo of the race. He said whilst he was disappointed with the circumstances of the race, he was completely satisfied with Jockey Yeung’s handling given the manner in which the horse over-raced in what was a slowly run race in the early stages. M L Yeung was advised that the video footage of the race and the sectional times of the relevant stages of the race supported his explanation and accordingly no further action was taken. A veterinary inspection of TERRIFIC MASTER immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of OCEAN POWER and GOLD TARTINI immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. TERRIFIC MASTER, WIN ALONG and DRAGON PINS were sent for sampling.