05/03/2023  Shatin  Race 10

SEAWEED FORTUNE was withdrawn on 3.3.23 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (fever and inappetence) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter BULLETPROOF (R Maia). Before being allowed to race again, SEAWEED FORTUNE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. POWERFUL WINGS was checked at the start when ALACRITY shifted out. POWERFUL WINGS and ALACRITY were then shifted across behind runners in the early stages from the outside barriers. INVINCIBLE MISSILE was slow to begin. On jumping, THE BEST PEACH was hampered when crowded between BULLETPROOF and TOTAL POWER which shifted in. THE BEST PEACH was then shifted across behind runners in the early stages. PACKING HURRICANE raced wide and without cover for the majority of the event. When questioned, S De Sousa stated that HAVA NAGEELA settled further back in the field than had been anticipated and was awkwardly placed behind BEAUTY INSPIRE for some distance in the middle stages. He said soon after straightening he placed HAVA NAGEELA under pressure, however, his mount had an inclination to lay in and was then held up for clear running when being shifted to the outside. He added that near the 200 Metres HAVA NAGEELA secured clear running where his mount ran on strongly. After the race, K H Chan stated that whilst he was not given specific instructions to lead, he was given the option to go forward on TOTAL POWER if it jumped well. He said Trainer D J Hall had indicated there appeared to be a lack of pace in the race and this was the main reason that he was given the option of being able to take up a forward position to avoid racing back in the field in a slowly run race. He said therefore after jumping well he rode TOTAL POWER forward to race outside the lead. Also after the race, H Bowman stated that as BEAUTY INSPIRE raced too keenly in front at its last start, he was asked to obtain cover. He added BEAUTY INSPIRE again raced too keenly throughout the early and middle stages and was steadied away from the heels of CHING for some distance near the 1100 Metres and near the 800 Metres was checked away from the heels of that runner. He said as a result BEAUTY INSPIRE was not able to finish the race off as well as expected. A veterinary inspection of BEAUTY INSPIRE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of PRINCE ALEX immediately following the race which included an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucus in the horse’s trachea. CHING and HAVA NAGEELA were sent for sampling.