15/07/2018  Shatin  Race 9

CHEERS TREASURE was withdrawn on 13.7.18 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (left front tendon injury) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter HIGH SPIRIT (C Y Ho). Before being allowed to race again, CHEERS TREASURE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. BIGWOOD, HAPPY FUN and DIAMOND RHYME were slow to begin. From the outside barrier, HIGH SPIRIT was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. INTREPIC lost its right front plate at the 1300 Metres. Making the turn after the 900 Metres, DIAMOND RHYME got its head on the side and shifted out towards the heels of RACING FIGHTER. The performance of HIGH SPIRIT and ARCADA, both of which finished tailed out, was considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, HIGH SPIRIT and ARCADA will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. When questioned, K Teetan (BIGWOOD) stated that he had to ride his mount along throughout the early and middle stages as the horse was not comfortable on today’s track. He said rounding the Home Turn he changed his whip over into his right hand in order to commence to ride the horse along, however, as BIGWOOD was unbalanced in its action, he elected to wait until on straightening to use the whip. He said in the early part of the Straight he looked to shift BIGWOOD out to follow MULTIGOGO forward as he was of the view that RACING FIGHTER, which was positioned to the outside of BIGWOOD, would commence to give ground. He said however that MULTIGOGO did not improve as quickly as he anticipated and for this reason he directed BIGWOOD back to the inside of that horse. He added he shifted BIGWOOD in further after the 300 Metres to the inside of SUPER FUN to continue improving. He said BIGWOOD raced greenly and shifted ground on a number of occasions and passing the 100 Metres had to be directed out away from the heels of HANDSOME BO BO due to both horses shifting ground. He said as BIGWOOD was finishing off the race well and given that it was racing greenly, he elected not to use the whip on the horse, but rather he rode it out vigorously hands and heels. After the race, T Berry reported that RACING FIGHTER was making an abnormal breathing noise during the event. A veterinary inspection of RACING FIGHTER immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucus in the horse’s trachea. BOLD STITCH and RELENTLESS ME were sent for sampling.