19/05/2021  Happy Valley  Race 3

Simultaneously with the start being effected, VICTORY IN HAND put its head down and consequently lost ground. Before being allowed to race again, VICTORY IN HAND will be required to perform satisfactorily in a stalls test. BALTIC WHISPER was crowded for room on jumping between OVERSUBSCRIBED and PANZERSCHRECK which got its head on the side and shifted out. In this incident, OVERSUBSCRIBED became unbalanced after being bumped on the hindquarters by BALTIC WHISPER. After this, despite being ridden along, BALTIC WHISPER failed to muster speed. From a wide barrier, SEA MONARCH was steadied in the early stages to obtain cover. After the 600 Metres, FARIBAULT was left racing wide and without cover. At the 100 Metres, FARIBAULT was brushed by TRAVEL DATUK which shifted in. C Y Ho (HAPPILY FRIENDS) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that over the concluding stages he permitted his mount to shift in a number of horses, resulting in WIN WIN STAR being unnecessarily crowded for room and being hampered when losing its running close to the finishing line. C Y Ho was suspended from riding in races for a period to commence on Sunday, 6 June 2021 and to expire on Thursday, 10 June 2021 on which day he may resume race riding (2 Hong Kong racedays). In addition, Jockey Ho was fined $60,000. When questioned regarding his riding after the 600 Metres, C Y Ho stated that HAPPILY FRIENDS was inclined to lay in during the preliminary and also in the early stages of the race. He said passing the 500 Metres it was his intention to commence to shift to the outside of MASTER OF FUN which was racing outside the lead. He said however that as MASTER OF FUN was laying out and given that HAPPILY FRIENDS had previously shown an inclination to lay in, he elected, rather than attempt to shift to the outside of that horse near the 450 Metres, to pursue an inside run as he anticipated that MASTER OF FUN would continue to lay out rounding the Home Turn which would provide HAPPILY FRIENDS with the opportunity to improve inside that horse. He said passing the 400 Metres as he commenced to take a run inside MASTER OF FUN, WIN WIN STAR improved its position inside HAPPILY FRIENDS which resulted in HAPPILY FRIENDS having to be checked away from the heels of MASTER OF FUN as that horse had not shifted out sufficiently for HAPPILY FRIENDS to improve to its inside. He said after being awkwardly placed inside MASTER OF FUN rounding the Home Turn, HAPPILY FRIENDS was able to obtain clear running between that horse and WIN WIN STAR shortly after entering the Straight. He said however that HAPPILY FRIENDS lay in towards the heels of WIN WIN STAR passing the 300 Metres and again passing the 250 Metres which resulted in HAPPILY FRIENDS being very awkwardly placed close to the heels of WIN WIN STAR which also shifted out marginally. He said for this reason he was required to direct HAPPILY FRIENDS to the outside of WIN WIN STAR after the 200 Metres to obtain clear running. A veterinary inspection of BALTIC WHISPER and PANZERSCHRECK immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of MASTER OF FUN immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious. OVERSUBSCRIBED and HAPPILY FRIENDS were sent for sampling.