Recap by phillip woo

Hammer King quickened nicely under a good hold to easily run down Good Man 80m for a second straight win despite being badly held up until gaining a clear run four deep at the 150m. He's got further improvement to come. Favourite Good Man sat outside the leader King Of Household, advanced to the front 150m out and was no match for the winner for a second straight run. CP Power settled one off the fence fore of midfield, straightened near four deep and stayed on well for a placing. My Legend travelled near three deep with cover worse than midfield, swung the final bend with two wider out and kept plugging away to make it close for a placing. Plunged late, Dynamic Voyage pulled off the tiring King Of Household following a box-seat run at the 300m and came up onepaced over the final 150m. He had no excuse. Raging Bull made some ground after fading back from a wide gate. King Of Household was stopping 100m out after finding the front along the fence 1,050m. Flying Monkey had excuses after travelling no closer than four deep without cover in midfield from a wide gate. Debutant Gentry was a non-factor after getting badly hampered approaching the 800m by My Folks.

Racing Incident Report

Race Six: (477)-BUKIT TIMAH HANDICAP - Class 4 - 1200Metres

Apprentice K K Chiong (KING OF HOUSEHOLD), C Schofield (SHINING CHAMPION) and K Teetan (C P POWER) were each fined the sum of $2,000 for failing to present themselves in the Parade Ring by the required time.

MY FOLKS blundered on jumping.

C P POWER was crowded for room on jumping between HAMMER KING which was taken in by GOOD MAN and KING OF HOUSEHOLD which shifted out after beginning awkwardly.

In this incident, Apprentice K K Chiong became unbalanced.

Shortly after the start, GENTRY was bumped by SHINING CHAMPION which shifted in.

From the outside barriers, SHINING CHAMPION and RAGING BULL were shifted across behind runners in the early stages.

Making the turn near the 900 Metres, MY FOLKS (C K Tong) commenced to prove difficult to settle and shifted out abruptly away from the heels of HAMMER KING.

GENTRY, which was racing outside MY FOLKS, was severely checked when taken out across the heels of MY LEGEND, resulting in the horse losing a considerable amount of ground.

SHINING CHAMPION, which was following, was severely hampered and forced very wide.

When GENTRY shifted out across the heels of MY LEGEND, MY LEGEND became unbalanced and stumbled.

After this incident, MY FOLKS continued to prove difficult to settle.

The Stewards accepted that C K Tong had made every endeavour to prevent MY FOLKS from shifting ground in this incident.

The racing manners of MY FOLKS were considered unacceptable.

Before being allowed to race again, MY FOLKS will be required to perform satisfactorily in a barrier trial around a bend.

Rounding the Home Turn, FLYING MONKEY was taken wider when bumped by MY LEGEND which shifted out to improve.

RAGING BULL, which was following FLYING MONKEY, was shifted out away from the heels of that horse in consequence.

SHINING CHAMPION had difficulty obtaining clear running in the early part of the Straight.

HAMMER KING was badly held up for clear running until near the 200 Metres.

Approaching the 150 Metres, REWARDING FLYER was momentarily steadied away from the heels of C P POWER which shifted out after being brushed by HAMMER KING.

MY FOLKS, which was following, was steadied away from the heels of REWARDING FLYER in consequence.

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

When questioned, C Y Ho (FLYING MONKEY) stated that he had been instructed to ride the horse in a midfield position with cover.

He said unlike at its previous two starts, the horse began extremely well today which he did not expect.

He said as he had been asked to ride the horse with cover, he elected to restrain his mount in the early stages and endeavour to obtain a trailing position in about midfield.

He said however that FLYING MONKEY travelled keenly and would not come back underneath him and when REWARDING FLYER was hard ridden to his inside, he was not able to shift FLYING MONKEY in to obtain cover and this resulted in the horse having to race wide and without cover throughout the race.

Trainer W Y So confirmed that he had instructed Jockey Ho to obtain a position in about midfield as he felt that the make-up of the field and the horse's wide draw would allow the horse the best opportunity to obtain this position.

He said he did not anticipate FLYING MONKEY beginning as well as it did today, however, given the manner in which he had asked Jockey Ho to ride the horse, he was comfortable that Jockey Ho had attempted to carry out his instructions even though the horse began very well today.

Mr So was advised that he must ensure that he provides his riders with the opportunity to show judgement in a race to accommodate the changing circumstances that can often occur during a race.

Jockey Ho was also advised that in the circumstances he should have shown more judgement and initiative than he did on this occasion given the manner in which the horse had begun.

HAMMER KING and GOOD MAN were sent for sampling.