20/09/2023  Happy Valley  Race 2

JOY OF SPRING jumped awkwardly and lost ground. DIAMOND DIAMOND and COLONEL bumped at the start. HERO STAR was slow to begin. STORMTROUPER jumped only fairly and then from a wide barrier was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Shortly after the start, SAVVY CHIC shifted in and brushed MR MAJESTIC. From the outside barrier, YOUNG HORIZON was also shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Approaching the 350 Metres, STORMTROUPER, which had been laying out, shifted out towards the heels of DAILY TROPHY when that runner shifted in slightly. As a consequence, STORMTROUPER was checked to avoid the heels of DAILY TROPHY and became badly unbalanced. Z Purton, rider of STORMTROUPER, stated that after this incident he had some concerns with his mount’s action and for this reason he did not fully test it in the Home Straight. A veterinary inspection of STORMTROUPER immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. The performance and racing manners of STORMTROUPER were considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, STORMTROUPER will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial around a bend in Hong Kong and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. Approaching the 200 Metres, WOOD ON FIRE was steadied when disappointed for running between COLONEL and SAVVY CHIC. WOOD ON FIRE was then shifted to the outside of SAVVY CHIC approaching the 100 Metres to obtain clear running and in doing so hampered DIAMOND DIAMOND. Near the 200 Metres, HERO STAR raced tight to the inside of STOICISM which lay in. Approaching the 100 Metres, DAILY TROPHY was briefly held up behind STOICISM and then was shifted to that runner’s outside, resulting in YOUNG HORIZON being taken wider. Over the concluding stages, JOY OF SPRING improved into a narrow run between COLONEL and SAVVY CHIC and as a result raced tight to the finish of the event. Prior to the declaration of weighed-in, connections of WOOD ON FIRE, 3rd placegetter, viewed the videos to ascertain if there were grounds for a protest/objection against SAVVY CHIC being declared the winner. When K Teetan, rider of WOOD ON FIRE, and Trainer C W Chang declined to lodge a protest/objection and the Stewards were satisfied that there were no grounds to lodge a protest/objection, weighed-in was declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge. After the race, A Badel (HERO STAR) reported that his mount coughed during the running of the event. A veterinary inspection of HERO STAR immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. Before being allowed to race again, HERO STAR will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. Also after the race, K C Leung (STOICISM) stated that his mount was obliged to race wide and without cover for the majority of the event and as a result failed to finish the race off strongly. A veterinary inspection of STOICISM immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. COLONEL, SAVVY CHIC and JOY OF SPRING were sent for sampling.