16/10/2022  Shatin  Race 2

REGENCY MASTER was slow to begin. YEE CHEONG BRAVE began awkwardly, shifted out and bumped TURF BRILLIANT. MURRAY’S PARTNERS was crowded for room on jumping between SUPERB DADDY and LOYAL AMBITION, both of which shifted ground. After this, SUPERB DADDY and MURRAY’S PARTNERS were steadied to obtain cover. STAR OF GLORY shifted out at the start and hampered FLASH FAMOUS. From wide barriers, FLASH FAMOUS, SKY GEM and FORTUNE TRIPLE were all steadied in the early stages to obtain cover. Passing the winning post on the first occasion, TURF BRILLIANT was awkwardly placed outside the heels of YEE CHEONG BRAVE when being steadied to obtain cover behind that horse. After passing the winning post on the first occasion, REGENCY MASTER got its head on the side and lay in away from FORTUNE PATROL. Approaching the 1700 Metres, MISTER MONTE was steadied away from the heels of STAR OF GLORY (Apprentice Y L Chung) which shifted in when not fully clear. Apprentice Chung was advised to exercise more care when shifting ground in similar circumstances. When the tempo slackened after the 1400 Metres, YEE CHEONG BRAVE commenced to travel keenly and shifted out when very awkwardly placed close to the heels of MISTER MONTE. When YEE CHEONG BRAVE shifted out, LOYAL AMBITION was taken wider. LOYAL AMBITION was then allowed to improve its position to race outside the lead after the 1100 Metres at which time SKY GEM was left racing wide and without cover. Rounding the Home Turn, SUPERB DADDY raced tight outside FLASH FAMOUS which shifted out. At the entrance to the Straight, BARON ZEE shifted out and bumped MISTER MONTE. FORTUNE PATROL was held up for clear running from after the 150 Metres until the concluding stages. Because of this, FORTUNE PATROL was not able to be properly tested. When questioned, Z Purton (MURRAY’S PARTNERS) stated that approaching the 250 Metres he shifted his mount to the outside of STAR OF GLORY in an attempt to obtain clear running between that horse and LOYAL AMBITION. He said as he committed to this run, STAR OF GLORY shifted out which resulted in MURRAY’S PARTNERS being held up for clear running until passing the 200 Metres. He said whilst STAR OF GLORY shifted away from the rail sufficiently for a horse to improve on its inside, at this time he had already committed to obtaining running to the outside of that horse. He added that STAR OF GLORY then shifted back in towards the rail passing the 200 Metres and when LOYAL AMBITION, which was racing to the outside of STAR OF GLORY, followed that horse across, this resulted in MURRAY’S PARTNERS continuing to have difficulty obtaining clear running until approaching the 50 Metres at which time he shifted MURRAY’S PARTNERS in away from the heels of LOYAL AMBITION. He said then over the concluding stages MURRAY’S PARTNERS raced tight inside LOYAL AMBITION. M F Poon (REGENCY MASTER) was fined the sum of $2,000 for raising his whip arm above the height of his shoulder on a number of occasions in the Straight. A veterinary inspection of YEE CHEONG BRAVE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of TURF BRILLIANT immediately following the race which included an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse’s trachea. Before being allowed to race again, TURF BRILLIANT will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. MURRAY’S PARTNERS, REGENCY MASTER and LOYAL AMBITION were sent for sampling.