06/09/2015  Shatin  Race 4

HEAVENISARACEHORSE was withdrawn on 4.9.15 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (swollen left fore leg) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter FOREST COLOURS (Y T Cheng). Before being allowed to race again, HEAVENISARACEHORSE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. CRIMSON HEART began very awkwardly. TRAVEL MASTER was crowded for room on jumping between PERFECT TRIUMPH and GOLDWEAVER, both of which shifted ground. In this incident, PERFECT TRIUMPH became badly unbalanced. Shortly after the start, SUCCESSFUL LEADER was crowded for room between FOREST COLOURS and CRIMSON HEART. ACUMEN lost its left front plate at the 1300 Metres. Approaching the 1200 Metres, SHANGHAI BOND momentarily raced in restricted room between SOUTHCHINA COMMAND and FRIENDS OF YAN OI which shifted out slightly. In the early stages, CRIMSON HEART proved difficult to settle and got its head up on a number of occasions approaching and passing the 1200 Metres when being steadied to obtain cover. Approaching the 1100 Metres, ACUMEN was awkwardly placed close to the heels of BE THERE AHEAD when travelling keenly and again passing the 1000 Metres at which point ACUMEN shifted out away from the heels of BE THERE AHEAD. Passing the 700 Metres, SOUTHCHINA COMMAND was awkwardly placed close to the heels of FRIENDS OF YAN OI. For the majority of the race, PERFECT TRIUMPH travelled wide and without cover. When questioned regarding his riding of FOREST COLOURS in the Straight, Y T Cheng stated that in the early part of the Straight FOREST COLOURS hung in and after the 400 Metres bumped SOUTHCHINA COMMAND. He said FOREST COLOURS continued to lay in and proved difficult to ride and as he was concerned that SOUTHCHINA COMMAND remained racing to his inside, he was reluctant to fully test FOREST COLOURS as he was concerned that to have done so would likely cause interference to that runner. He added he rode FOREST COLOURS out strongly hands and heels until the 200 Metres at which time he commenced to use the whip on the horse, however, FOREST COLOURS continued to race with its head on the side and for this reason he stopped using the whip and rode his mount out strongly hands and heels all the way to the end of the race. Y T Cheng was advised that whilst the Stewards accepted that FOREST COLOURS lay in in the early part of the Straight, resulting in contact being made between that horse and SOUTHCHINA COMMAND, nonetheless his riding out, particularly over the final 300 Metres, caused the Stewards concern. He was further advised that he must make every endeavour to test his mounts out even under difficult circumstances so as to ensure that his riding is not able to be questioned. Y T Cheng was advised that his riding out in the latter part of the Straight had come under notice. The Stewards questioned C Schofield, the rider of the 3rd placegetter, GOLDWEAVER, regarding his riding out of that horse close to the finishing line. After taking evidence from C Schofield and after viewing the official videos, the Stewards advised C Schofield that they could not be comfortably satisfied that his riding out of GOLDWEAVER close to the winning post had cost that horse 2nd placing. In arriving at this decision, the Stewards took into consideration the manner in which FRIENDS OF YAN OI, the 2nd placegetter, was finishing off the race and that C Schofield had eased his riding of the horse within the final stride of the race. C Schofield was advised that whilst he was being given the benefit of the doubt in respect of this matter given that the Stewards could not be satisfied to the requisite degree that his riding out of the horse over the concluding stages had prevented that horse from finishing 2nd, he was severely reprimanded and advised of the significance of the Rule requiring riders to ride their mounts out all the way to the end of the race to the satisfaction of the Stewards and of the significant penalty which necessarily attaches to a breach of this Rule. PLAIN BLUE BANNER and FRIENDS OF YAN OI were sent for sampling.