06/11/2019  Happy Valley  Race 3

NAVAS was withdrawn on 5.11.19 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right fore) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter WILLFUL (M L Yeung). Before being allowed to race again, NAVAS will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. Acting on a veterinary report that BRILLIANT was not suitable to race after having sustained lacerations to the lip when being transported to the course, the horse was withdrawn by order of the Stewards. Before being allowed to race again, BRILLIANT will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. WILLFUL was slow to begin. GINTOKI shifted in at the start and bumped E GENERATION. From a wide barrier, SIMPLY FLUKE was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Apprentice K H Chan (E GENERATION) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that near the 900 Metres he permitted his mount to shift in when not clear of GOLDEN GLORY, resulting in that horse being very awkwardly placed close to the heels of E GENERATION, unnecessarily hampered and losing the running to which it was rightfully entitled. Apprentice Chan was suspended from riding in races for a period to commence on Wednesday, 27 November 2019 and to expire on Monday, 2 December 2019 on which day he may resume race riding (2 Hong Kong racedays). In addition, Apprentice Chan was fined $12,500. GINTOKI travelled wide and without cover until near the 650 Metres at which time FLYING EMPEROR was left racing without cover. Passing the 900 Metres, BABY STORM momentarily raced in restricted room between SIMPLY FLUKE and FLYING EMPEROR which shifted in before being directed back out to relieve the tightening to BABY STORM. BABY STORM was then awkwardly placed close to the heels of FLYING EMPEROR approaching the 800 Metres when SIMPLY FLUKE got its head on the side and shifted out. After the 700 Metres, SIMPLY FLUKE got its head up on a number of occasions when awkwardly placed behind the heels of MASTER ALBERT. Near the 650 Metres, BABY STORM was shifted in away from the heels of SIMPLY FLUKE and passing the 600 Metres was awkwardly placed behind LIGHTNING STEED. K Teetan (MASTER ALBERT) dropped his right rein near the 100 Metres. When questioned, A Sanna stated that the connections of LIGHTNING STEED had been disappointed with the horse’s failure to finish off its races of late and therefore when he rode it in a barrier trial in the lead up to tonight’s race, it was decided to ride the horse quietly in that trial to establish whether LIGHTNING STEED would finish off better. He said in the barrier trial he shifted LIGHTNING STEED to the rear of the field and the horse then finished off its trial satisfactorily. He said when LIGHTNING STEED drew wide in tonight’s race, it was decided to ride the horse in a similar manner as it was felt that if a lot of use were to be made of the horse to go forward, LIGHTNING STEED would again not finish off the race strongly. He added LIGHTNING STEED travelled well in the race when ridden towards the rear of the field and he expected it to close off well, however, after being placed under pressure rounding the Home Turn LIGHTNING STEED initially showed a good turn of foot, however, over the final stages finished off the race only fairly. MR PICASSO and MASTER ALBERT were sent for sampling.