23/10/2022  Shatin  Race 5

JOYFUL WIN was withdrawn on 21.10.22 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right fore). FLYING SEASON was withdrawn on 22.10.22 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (left front tendon injury). Before being allowed to race again, JOYFUL WIN and FLYING SEASON will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. PINS PRINCE lost ground after beginning awkwardly and bumping the outside of its gate. METRO WARRIOR shifted out at the start and inconvenienced SUMMIT CHEERS. SUPER VINCE was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. After the 800 Metres, COMING PATCH shifted out and bumped STAR ASCENSION, causing both horses to become unbalanced. Approaching the 700 Metres, SUPERB BOY commenced to travel keenly and got its head up when awkwardly placed close to the heels of METRO WARRIOR. At the 700 Metres, SUPER VINCE, which was laying out, was steadied away from the heels of COMING PATCH which shifted in marginally. Passing the 600 Metres, STAR ASCENSION shifted in and was momentarily awkwardly placed outside the heels of COMING PATCH. Near the 150 Metres, M Chadwick (SUPER VINCE) dropped his whip. Over the concluding stages, CIRCUIT TEN was unable to obtain clear running and because of this was not ridden out all the way to the end of the race. The Stewards deferred the declaration of weighed-in whilst they considered an application from C Wong, the rider of SPARKLING KNIGHT, for that horse to be declared a non-runner on the grounds that it had not been afforded a fair start. After taking evidence from Jockey Wong, Mr C H Yip, the trainer of SPARKLING KNIGHT, and Mr A Speechley, Starter, it was established that just prior to the start being effected, SPARKLING KNIGHT, which was being assisted by a starting gate handler, reared abruptly, resulting in the horse losing a considerable amount of ground. As the Stewards formed the opinion that the starting gate handler was not preventing SPARKLING KNIGHT from beginning the race on terms with other runners and that SPARKLING KNIGHT reared of its own doing, it was decided that SPARKLING KNIGHT had been afforded a fair start and accordingly that horse was deemed to be a runner. Before being allowed to race again, SPARKLING KNIGHT will be required to perform satisfactorily in a barrier trial. M L Yeung pleaded guilty to a breach of Rule 100(2) in that he failed to ride COMING PATCH, which dead-heated for 5th placing, out to the end of the race to the satisfaction of the Stewards. For this breach of the Rule, Jockey Yeung was fined a sum of $25,000. After the race, M F Poon stated that when wearing the sheepskin cheek pieces for the first time today, SUMMIT CHEERS would not relax during the race with METRO WARRIOR racing immediately to its inside. He said because of this SUMMIT CHEERS was then not able to finish the race off strongly over the concluding stages. A veterinary inspection of SUMMIT CHEERS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. SUPERB BOY and FLYING DRAGON were sent for sampling.