01/05/2022  Shatin  Race 2

AEROVERSARY began very awkwardly. YOUNG HORIZON began awkwardly and bumped the hindquarters of UNITED WE STAND. YOUNG HORIZON then lost ground when crowded for room between UNITED WE STAND which shifted in after becoming unbalanced and GOOD NEWS which got its head on the side and shifted out and away from CHEVAL VALIANT after being bumped by that horse. TSUEN WAN GLORY shifted out on jumping and bumped HAPPY TRIO which in turn shifted out and hampered JACK WIN. NOBLE ONE shifted out at the start and bumped NEXTMODEL. UNITED WE STAND lost its right front plate in the early stages. Near the 450 Metres, JACK WIN lay out and brushed the outside running rail. Over the final 400 Metres, GOOD NEWS lay out under pressure. Passing the 400 Metres, K C Leung (GOOD NEWS) momentarily dropped his whip before regathering it. After the 400 Metres, YOUNG HORIZON was shifted out away from the heels of GOOD NEWS after being awkwardly placed behind that horse. Approaching the 300 Metres, A Badel (GLORIFIED FIRE) dropped his whip. Over the final 200 Metres, WONDERFUL WARRIOR lay out under pressure and had to be corrected by its rider on a number of occasions. Over the final 50 Metres, JACK WIN was not able to obtain clear running and over the concluding stages was checked away from the heels of SUPER AXIOM. Because of this, JACK WIN was not able to be properly tested. Close to the finishing line, HAPPY TRIO was checked away from the heels of NOBLE ONE when held up for clear running behind that horse and outside CHEVAL VALIANT. Also close to the finishing line, AEROVERSARY was held up for clear running behind WONDERFUL WARRIOR. The Stewards considered a protest/objection lodged by Z Purton, the rider of NOBLE ONE, which finished 2nd, against L Hewitson (CHEVAL VALIANT) being declared the winner alleging interference at about the 175 Metres. After taking evidence from all parties concerned and after viewing the videos, the Stewards found that near the 175 Metres CHEVAL VALIANT shifted out under pressure and bumped NOBLE ONE, causing that horse to become unbalanced. The Stewards further found that after being bumped by CHEVAL VALIANT, NOBLE ONE continued to maintain a margin over that horse until passing the 50 Metres at which point CHEVAL VALIANT then headed NOBLE ONE to win the race by a margin of a neck. Having regard to the contact between the horses being near the 175 Metres, NOBLE ONE continuing to maintain an advantage over CHEVAL VALIANT for about the next 125 Metres of the race and the margin between the horses passing the finishing line, the Stewards overruled the protest/objection and weighed-in was declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge. At a subsequent inquiry, L Hewitson was severely reprimanded and told that, in the opinion of the Stewards, he should have corrected his mount sooner than he did on this occasion to prevent the contact between the horses. A veterinary inspection of GEM OF SOUTH CHINA immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. WONDERFUL WARRIOR, CHEVAL VALIANT and NOBLE ONE were sent for sampling.