Recap by phillip woo

On a leader's track, Hello Kimberley found the front from a wide gate, cornered two lengths clear and kept up good gallop with a return to the turf and step up to a mile for an upset win. Malayan Pearl settled worse than midfield on the rails, angled into the open with three wider out at the 150m and finished well despite shifting out under pressure to snatch second in a blanket finish for the minors. Asia Rising was able to land a spot one off the rails fore of midfield, straightened three deep in traffic until the 250m, moved to second 100m out and was nipped late for second. Keen Tactics made his run one off in midfield, rounded the final bend five deep, moved to second 200m out and was swamped for a placing. Unique Joyful surged late down the outside after travelling third from the rear to just miss a placing.

Racing Incident Report

Race Five: (638)-OLD BAILEY HANDICAP - Class 4 - 1600Metres

IMPERIAL GALLANTRY was withdrawn on 23.5.15 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (blood abnormality) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter BE THERE AHEAD (Apprentice K C Ng).

Before being allowed to race again, IMPERIAL GALLANTRY will be subjected to an official veterinary examination.

UNIQUE AWESOME and BE THERE AHEAD were slow to begin.

UNIQUE JOYFUL began only fairly and shortly after the start was checked and blundered when crowded for room between FUN TAPESTRY and ISLAND FLYER which shifted out.

After this, UNIQUE JOYFUL was ridden along, however, failed to muster speed and was shifted across behind runners in the early stages.

From a wide barrier, UNICORN was shifted across behind runners in the early stages.

ELITE PRIDE lost its left front plate at the 1100 Metres and its right front plate at the 450 Metres.

At the 500 Metres, UNICORN was checked away from the heels of MALAYAN PEARL which was steadied away from the heels of WIRE TO WIRE.

ASIA RISING was held up for clear running from the 400 Metres until passing the 300 Metres.

Apprentice C Y Lui (MALAYAN PEARL) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that over the concluding stages he permitted his mount to shift out when not clear of BE THERE AHEAD, causing that horse to be checked and to blunder and in turn be taken out onto UNIQUE AWESOME which was also checked when crowded for room out onto the hindquarters of UNIQUE JOYFUL.

Apprentice Lui was suspended from riding in races for a period to expire on Monday, 22 June 2015 on which day he may resume race riding (6 Hong Kong racedays).

The commencement of the suspension was deferred until after the Sha Tin racemeeting on Sunday, 31 May 2015.

In assessing penalty, the Stewards took into consideration the severity of the incident, particularly the interference suffered by BE THERE AHEAD and the fact that this was the 7th occasion this season that Apprentice Lui had been charged with breaching the careless riding Rule.

Apprentice Lui, in the presence of his allocated trainer, Mr P F Yiu, was again told that the Licensing Committee would give consideration to his race riding record when deciding on licences to be issued for the 2015/2016 season and that his race riding record this season is not up to the standard expected of a rider in Hong Kong.

In this incident, UNIQUE JOYFUL (M L Yeung) became unbalanced after being bumped on the hindquarters by UNIQUE AWESOME.

M L Yeung then stopped riding and shifted his mount out in an endeavour to relieve the tightening to the inside of his mount.

Throughout the race, ISLAND FLYER travelled wide and without cover.

When questioned, Z Purton (UNICORN) stated that, from barrier 13, he was asked to shift the horse across behind runners in the early stages and obtain a position close to the inside rail.

He said he was then asked to ride UNICORN for luck and obtain inside runs in the Straight if possible as the track appeared, up to that point of the meeting, to be favouring horses which were positioned close to the rail.

He said in accordance with his instructions he shifted UNICORN across behind runners in the early stages and was able to obtain a trailing position behind UNIQUE AWESOME on the rail after the 1100 Metres.

He said at the 500 Metres after being awkwardly placed close to the heels of MALAYAN PEARL, he shifted UNICORN to the inside of that horse to improve its position.

He said this was in accordance with his instructions to pursue inside runs if possible.

He added after the 400 Metres he shifted UNICORN to the outside of WIRE TO WIRE in order to attempt to obtain clear running between that horse and ASIA RISING to his outside.

He said after committing to this run, he improved quickly to be racing inside the heels of ASIA RISING which was held up close to the heels of FUN TAPESTRY after the 400 Metres.

He said as HEART WOOD, which was racing in advance of UNICORN and to the inside of ASIA RISING, did not quicken, he was not able to improve his position on UNICORN as he was positioned too far inside ASIA RISING.

He said because of this UNICORN was badly held up for clear running until after the 100 Metres at which time he was able to shift UNICORN to the outside of HEART WOOD when ASIA RISING improved to be racing in advance of that horse.

When questioned regarding the improved performance of HELLO KIMBERLEY, Trainer C S Shum stated that he did not anticipate that HELLO KIMBERLEY would improve as it did in this race.

He said in relation to the horse's last start at Sha Tin on 9 May 2015, HELLO KIMBERLEY had not previously raced over the course and distance and as the horse had drawn barrier 14 and given that he anticipated there was strong pace in that race, he instructed the rider on that occasion to shift HELLO KIMBERLEY across behind runners in the early stages and obtain a position closer to the rail to see if it could finish off the race.

He said, unlike at its last start where he expected that the race would be run at a strong tempo, he felt there was only one established leader in today's race, that being HEART WOOD.

He said having this in mind and given that the track appeared to be favouring horses that were ridden in forward positions and close to the rail, he felt that there was an opportunity for HELLO KIMBERLEY, which was stepping up to 1600 Metres today, to either sit outside HEART WOOD or if the tempo was not strong, to take the lead.

A veterinary inspection of SILVER BAUHINIA, which was eased down after the 600 Metres, immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious.

The performance of SILVER BAUHINIA was considered unacceptable.

Before being allowed to race again, SILVER BAUHINIA will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in an official barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination.

UNICORN, HELLO KIMBERLEY and MALAYAN PEARL were sent for sampling.