10/07/2019  Happy Valley  Race 3

YEE CHEONG PEGASUS, Standby Declared Starter, was withdrawn on 8.7.19 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (left front tendon injury). Before being allowed to race again, YEE CHEONG PEGASUS will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. As the start was effected, COMPASSION STAR, which was being assisted by a starting gate handler, became fractious, resulting in the horse being slow to begin. SHANGHAI RUSKY began awkwardly. JUNZI began only fairly and then shifted out and bumped the hindquarters of CHACHAUP, causing both horses to become unbalanced. From the outside barrier, TOP SCORE was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. When being steadied to obtain cover behind LIGHTNING TREASURE passing the 1000 Metres, LADY FIRST got its head up when travelling keenly. Approaching the 350 Metres, LADY FIRST was awkwardly placed behind LIGHTNING TREASURE. Approaching the 250 Metres, ZERO HEDGE and LIGHTNING TREASURE raced tight as ZERO HEDGE attempted to shift out from behind FANTASTIC FABIO. When unable to shift out, ZERO HEDGE was then awkwardly placed close to the heels of FANTASTIC FABIO approaching and passing the 200 Metres before being shifted to the inside of that horse approaching the 150 Metres. After the 200 Metres, COMPASSION STAR got its head on the side and lay in. COMPASSION STAR then continued to lay in for the remainder of the race. Near the 75 Metres, the whip of N Callan (DOLLAR REWARD) was knocked from his grasp by the whip of M L Yeung (COMPASSION STAR). Throughout the race, SUNNY DRAGON travelled wide and without cover. The Stewards deferred the declaration of weighed-in as they were of the prima facie view that an incident occurred inside the final 100 Metres which cast sufficient doubt on whether LIGHTNING TREASURE (K C Leung) should be declared the winner of the race. Subsequently Apprentice K H Chan, the rider of FANTASTIC FABIO, dead heat second placegetter, lodged a protest/objection against LIGHTNING TREASURE being declared the winner alleging interference inside the final 100 Metres. After taking evidence from all parties concerned and after viewing the videos, it was found that after being inconvenienced by FANTASTIC FABIO as that horse shifted out approaching the 150 Metres, LIGHTNING TREASURE shifted in approaching the 50 Metres and bumped FANTASTIC FABIO, resulting in that horse becoming unbalanced. FANTASTIC FABIO then raced tight inside LIGHTNING TREASURE as that horse continued to shift in. Then close to the finishing line, LIGHTNING TREASURE was shifted out away from FANTASTIC FABIO. As the Stewards were satisfied that at the time that the contact occurred between FANTASTIC FABIO and LIGHTNING TREASURE approaching the 50 Metres due to LIGHTNING TREASURE shifting in, that horse had already gained a narrow margin over FANTASTIC FABIO after coming from behind that horse in the early part of the Straight. Having regard to the manner in which the horses were finishing off their respective races both prior and subsequent to the interference occurring, the Stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that had the contact between the horses not occurred, FANTASTIC FABIO would have finished in front of LIGHTNING TREASURE. Accordingly, the protest/objection was overruled and weighed-in declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge. At a subsequent inquiry, K C Leung pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that passing the 75 Metres he permitted LIGHTNING TREASURE to shift in when not clear of FANTASTIC FABIO, resulting in LIGHTING TREASURE bumping FANTASTIC FABIO approaching the 50 Metres and in turn being taken in towards ZERO HEDGE which was checked when crowded for room. In the circumstances, the Stewards believed the appropriate penalty was for K C Leung to be fined the sum of $60,000 in lieu of a period of suspension incorporating two racemeetings. A veterinary inspection of TOP SCORE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. LIGHTNING TREASURE, FANTASTIC FABIO and LADY FIRST were sent for sampling.