Recap by phillip woo

Diamond Dragon came from a distant last at the top of the straight and widest out to run down Calculation in the last stride for an upset win. He had put the writing on the wall in his season debut behind the exciting Hot King Prawn and should again be a threat when he next steps out. Calculation surged to the lead 100m out after being held up following a prominent run until the 200m and found one just too good on the day. He's back on track and will be winning shortly. All You Need came on strongly after a deep run with cover behind midfield to just snatch third. He's clearly got the tools to win at this level. C P Power was just pipped for a placing after saving ground behind midfield following a slow start. He's acquitted himself well in two recent defeats at this level and should continue to be competitive. Plunged to jump favourite Alcari was swamped late for a placing after leading 300m out following a speed-chasing run on the fence from a wide gate.

Racing Incident Report

Race Ten: (244) - SALISBURY HANDICAP - Class 3 - 1400Meters

SO FAST was withdrawn on 2.12.17 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right hind foot) and was replaced by first Standby Declared Starter DOUBLE VALENTINE (N Rawiller).

NEW ELEGANCE was also withdrawn on 2.12.17 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (galloped riderless on training track on 2.12.17) and was replaced by second Standby Declared Starter CALCULATION (Z Purton).

Before being allowed to race again, SO FAST and NEW ELEGANCE will be subjected to an official veterinary examination.

C P POWER was slow to begin.

ALL YOU NEED and FORTUNE PATROL began only fairly.

ALL MY GAIN was crowded for room on jumping between TANG FLEMING and DOUBLE VALENTINE, both of which shifted ground.

DIAMOND DRAGON began very awkwardly and shifted in, resulting in the horse becoming unbalanced after making heavy contact with the hindquarters of DOUBLE VALENTINE.

After this, DIAMOND DRAGON got its head up on a number of occasions when being steadied to obtain cover.

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

Near the 1200 Metres, ALL YOU NEED was crowded for room between SLEEP EDUCATION and NUCLEAR POWER which shifted out.

TANG FLEMING, which was following, was inconvenienced in consequence.

After this, ALL YOU NEED travelled keenly for some distance.

Making the turn near the 900 Metres, TANG FLEMING was bumped by FORTUNE PATROL which shifted out.

This resulted in TANG FLEMING being awkwardly placed inside the heels of ALL YOU NEED.

Passing the 900 Metres, NUCLEAR POWER shifted out when awkwardly placed close to the heels of CALCULATION, resulting in SUPER HOPPY being taken wider.

CALCULATION was badly held up for clear running until passing the 300 Metres.

C P POWER had some difficulty obtaining clear running passing the 300 Metres and over the concluding stages was awkwardly placed close to the heels of CALCULATION which shifted out.

FORTUNE PATROL had difficulty obtaining clear running over the final 200 Metres and consequently was not able to be properly tested.

LADY FIRST was held up a run from passing the 200 Metres until after the 150 Metres.

LADY FIRST was again momentarily held up for clear running passing the 50 Metres when awkwardly placed inside the heels of ALCARI which shifted back in after shifting out under pressure and making contact with CALCULATION near the 100 Metres.

NUCLEAR POWER was unable to obtain clear running until after the 100 Metres.

Throughout the race, ALL MY GAIN and SLEEP EDUCATION travelled wide and without cover.

When questioned regarding the performance of SUPER HOPPY, K Teetan stated that he had hoped that CALCULATION would shift across to race on the rail which would afford SUPER HOPPY the opportunity of obtaining a position one horse off the rail, however, CALCULATION remained racing in a one-off position which resulted in SUPER HOPPY having to race in a three wide position.

He said however that he was not overly concerned by this as he was able to maintain cover behind ALL MY GAIN and SUPER HOPPY travelled comfortably in the early and middle stages.

He said however that when placed under pressure rounding the Home Turn, SUPER HOPPY did not quicken at any stage and then was very disappointing in the manner in which it gave ground in the Straight.

He added although the horse was required to race in a three wide position, he did not use this as an excuse for the performance of the horse as SUPER HOPPY gave ground noticeably.

A veterinary inspection of SUPER HOPPY immediately following the race did not show any significant findings.

The performance of SUPER HOPPY was considered unacceptable.

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

A veterinary inspection of SLEEP EDUCATION immediately following the race did not show any significant findings.

A veterinary inspection of TANG FLEMING immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious.

ALCARI, DIAMOND DRAGON and CALCULATION were sent for sampling.

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GENERAL:

1.

GOLDFIELD (A396) undertook its required barrier trial on Tuesday, 7 November 2017 with a hood on and accordingly is required to race with that gear.

Trainer R Gibson was fined the sum of $2,000 for failing to submit a gear change by adding a hood to GOLDFIELD, which is entered for the Happy Valley racemeeting on Wednesday, 6 December 2017, by the required time.

2.

29 November 2017 Happy Valley Racemeeting a.

Race 7 (233) The Stewards today questioned Mr C Fownes, the trainer of MEGA HEART, regarding the instructions he provided to N Rawiller in this race.

He said stepping up to 1200 Metres, it had been hoped that MEGA HEART would be able to obtain a position in about midfield but with cover.

He said MEGA HEART can race keenly and therefore it is necessary, wherever possible, to obtain cover and as he felt that there would be good speed in the race, he believed that this may open up the field which may provide MEGA HEART the opportunity to obtain a position about midfield.

He said however that he did not issue binding instructions to Jockey Rawiller given that the horse was awkwardly drawn in barrier

9.

He said he felt that it would have been better had MEGA HEART been steadied in the early stages to obtain a position behind ENREACHING in the early stages as when MEGA HEART was left racing without cover, the horse then would not settle.

He added, from a wide barrier, he will be instructing the rider of the horse in future to switch it off in the early stages so as to ensure that it is able to obtain cover and therefore is able to settle better.

He said however, from an inside barrier, he believes that MEGA HEART has sufficient early speed to be able to take up a more forward position so long as it is able to have cover.

b.

Race 8 (234) As previously advised, the Stewards today questioned Apprentice H T Mo regarding his handling of TEN FLAMES.

Apprentice Mo stated that he was instructed from the outside barrier to shift TEN FLAMES across behind runners in the early stages.

He said he was asked if other horses commenced to improve their position along the Back Straight to see if he was able to follow one of those horses into the race.

He said further he was asked to attempt to obtain inside runs on TEN FLAMES as it was anticipated that a number of runners, which would be in a more forward position, would be shifted wider at the entrance to the Straight which may allow TEN FLAMES the opportunity to obtain clear running closer to the rail.

He said, from the outside barrier, he shifted TEN FLAMES across behind runners in the early stages.

When questioned as to why TEN FLAMES was detached from the field in the early and middle stages, Apprentice Mo stated that he had GOODHEART SUCCESS in advance of TEN FLAMES and as that horse at various times shifted away from the rail, he therefore remained racing behind that horse with a view to establishing whether he would be able to obtain a run inside GOODHEART SUCCESS or to the outside of that horse.

When questioned regarding his riding of TEN FLAMES in the Straight, he said he balanced up the horse in the early part of the Straight before commencing to use the whip near the 200 Metres and then rode the horse out with the whip over the concluding stages.

Trainer L Ho confirmed the instructions given to Apprentice Mo and said he had asked Apprentice Mo to race in a position one horse off the rail along the Back Straight so that he was able to follow horses forward when they commenced to make their run near the 700 Metres.

He said he was disappointed with Apprentice Mo's ride on TEN FLAMES and expressed dissatisfaction to Apprentice Mo immediately after the race.

Apprentice Mo was advised that the Stewards gave consideration to charging him with a breach of a significant Rule of Racing regarding his riding of TEN FLAMES.

He was advised that his riding of the horse had come under notice and was severely reprimanded and told that he must ensure that his riding is not subject to query.

The Stewards today questioned B Prebble regarding his riding out of VICTORY BOYS over the final 100 Metres.

B Prebble stated that rounding the Home Turn he shifted VICTORY BOYS directly to the outside so as to ensure that the horse had free and uninterrupted running.

He said he immediately placed VICTORY BOYS under pressure including riding the horse out with the whip.

When questioned as to why he put the whip away near the 100 Metres, B Prebble stated that he felt that VICTORY BOYS was at its peak and therefore riding the horse out vigorously hands and heels all the way to the end of the race was all that was required.

B Prebble was advised that his explanation would be reported.

When questioned, S Clipperton (GOLD LAND) stated that from the wide barrier and as GOLD LAND was stepping up in distance to 1800 Metres for the first time in Hong Kong, he was asked to gradually allow the horse to obtain a forward position in the early stages.

He said he was able to shift across to race outside the leader LET US WIN passing the winning post on the first occasion and did so without having to make use of GOLD LAND.

He said GOLD LAND travelled comfortably throughout the race and then finished off the race well.

3.

Additional Veterinary Reports from Happy Valley Racemeeting on 29 November 2017 Subsequent official veterinary inspections (without endoscopy) of GOLDEN CANNON, JOLLY AMBER, NUMERO UNO, LONDON MASTER, PREMIUM CHAMPION, RULE THEE, HAYMAKER, SEVEN LUCK, SHOWING CHARACTER, CHEERFULJET, STARLOT, MASTER ALBERT, PERPETUAL JOYANCE, G-ONE LOVER, CALIFORNIA FORTUNE, WONDERFUL JOURNEY, EASY HEDGE, KING OF MONGOLIA and SHARP SAILOR revealed no apparent abnormality.

4.

Racing Laboratory tests of A FAST ONE, GOLDEN GLORY, TREASURE AND GOLD, LE PANACHE, SAVANNAH WIND, HOLY UNICORN, THE FULL BLOOM, CALIFORNIA ASPAR, SHOWING CHARACTER, GOLDEN EFFORT, LONDON CITY, HAPPY HAPPY, EMPIRE STAR, MULTIGOGO, CHARITY WINGS, MERRYGOWIN, SIR REDALOT, AFFLUENCE START, CHARITY GLORY, SUPER FLUKE, SIMPLY BRILLIANT, RELENTLESS ME, MAGNETISM and MISTER MONTE (22.11.17) proved negative.

SUMMARY:

1.

Withdrawals Race 2: GENEROUS BOBO on 2.12.17 on veterinary advice.

Race 6: TRAVEL DATUK on 2.12.17 on veterinary advice.

Race 9: KING GENKI (standby runner) on 2.12.17 on veterinary advice.

Race 10: SO FAST on 2.12.17 on veterinary advice.

NEW ELEGANCE on 2.12.17 on veterinary advice.



2.

Fine General: Trainer R Gibson (GOLDFIELD): $2,000 for failing to submit a gear change.

3.

Severe Reprimand General: Apprentice H T Mo (TEN FLAMES) re his riding.

4.

Warnings Race 1: Apprentice H T Mo (MASSIVE MILLENNIUM) re ensuring horses are able to begin the race as best as they are able.

Race 3: A Sanna (XIANG HUANG QI) regarding using the whip on horses which are out of contention.

5.

Barrier Trials Race 2: BINGO Race 8: GOLDIE FLANKER BEST EFFORT Race 9: PERPETUAL TREASURE Race 10: SUPER HOPPY

6.

Official Veterinary Examinations Race 2: GENEROUS BOBO Race 5: PROMISE KEPT Race 6: TRAVEL DATUK STAR SUPERIOR Race 8: VIVA COUNCIL GOLDIE FLANKER BEST EFFORT Race 9: KING GENKI ALMABABY PERPETUAL TREASURE Race 10: SO FAST NEW ELEGANCE SUPER HOPPY