26/03/2017  Shatin  Race 9

DARING FIT shifted out at the start, resulting in MORETHANLUCKY becoming badly unbalanced when crowded for room between DARING FIT and SUNNY WAY which was also hampered in this incident. TOP LAURELS and HOME RUN began only fairly. FLYING QUEST began very awkwardly and lost ground and then from a wide barrier was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Also from the outside barrier, LUCKY DOUBLE EIGHT was shifted across behind runners shortly after the start. A short distance after the start, WORLD RECORD was bumped by CELESTIAL NOVA which got its head on the side and shifted out after being brushed by that horse. LUCKY DOUBLE EIGHT lost its left front plate in the early stages. Making the turn after the 800 Metres, TOP LAURELS shifted in when awkwardly placed close to the heels of CELESTIAL NOVA and bumped SUNNY WAY. For some distance after the 700 Metres, TOP LAURELS was awkwardly placed close to the heels of DARING FIT. After the 200 Metres, SKYROCKETS was shifted in away from the heels of CELESTIAL NOVA which shifted out under pressure. U Rispoli (HOME RUN) was found guilty of a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that near the 50 Metres he directed his mount in when not clear of MORETHANLUCKY, resulting in that horse being taken in across the rightful running of SUNNY WAY which was hampered when crowded for room outside VOLIATION. In the circumstances, U Rispoli was suspended from riding in races for a period to commence on Wednesday, 5 April 2017 and to expire on Monday, 10 April 2017 on which day he may resume race riding (2 Hong Kong racedays). Throughout the race, VICTORY DAY travelled wide and without cover. After the race, Z Purton (AEROSPEED) stated that at the entrance to the Straight his mount, after racing tight inside VICTORY DAY, shifted ground and at the same time commenced to give ground abruptly. He said as he was concerned that something may be amiss with AEROSPEED, he eased it down over the final 200 Metres. A veterinary inspection of AEROSPEED immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. Before being allowed to race again, AEROSPEED will be required to perform satisfactorily in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. The Stewards will interview B Prebble regarding VOLITATION being ridden further back in the field prior to the Happy Valley racemeeting to be conducted on Wednesday, 29 March 2017. A veterinary inspection of VOLITATION immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. DARING FIT, WORLD RECORD and CELESTIAL NOVA were sent for sampling. <29/3/2017 26 March 2017 Sha Tin Racemeeting – Race 9 (525) >The Stewards today interviewed B Prebble regarding the performance of VOLITATION in this race.B Prebble stated that it had been anticipated that VOLITATION would be able to take up a position behind the speed as it had been able to assume this position from inside barriers in some of its previous races. He said however that he was asked not to make use of the horse early as VOLITATION had been inclined to over-race in some of its races. He said he was also asked to obtain inside runs if possible as the horse was carrying top weight. He said in the early stages he felt that the pace of the race was good and VOLITATION was not showing the type of early speed that he anticipated. He said he had intended to follow DARING FIT which was being ridden along to obtain a forward position and he had hoped in those circumstances to race inside MORETHANLUCKY. He said however MORETHANLUCKY was showing more early speed than VOLITATION and he felt that in order to maintain his positon inside that horse he would have had to ride VOLITATION along which would have been contrary to his instructions. He said therefore he elected to follow MORETHANLUCKY which resulted in VOLITATION racing further back in the field than had been intended. He added VOLITATION travelled only fairly in the run and, despite being able to take inside runs in the Straight, the horse was disappointing in the manner in which it failed to close off the race. Mr J Size, the trainer of VOLITATION, confirmed the instructions he gave to Jockey Prebble. He said he had expected that VOLITATION would show natural early speed and as such would not be required to be ridden along to obtain a position behind the speed. He confirmed that because of this he asked Jockey Prebble not to ride the horse along from the start as he did not want it over-racing carrying top weight, however, this instruction was given in the expectation that the horse would show more early speed than it did in this race. He said having regard to his instructions and the manner in which VOLITATION began, he was satisfied with Jockey Prebble's riding of the horse in the early stages.