Recap by phillip woo

Silver Fig peeled into the open at the 280m travelling fore of midfield, hit the front 50m out and just held off another newcomer Honest Way for a smart debut win. Honest Way jumped out of his skin after getting into the clear at the 180m following a patient ride third from the rear. Lucky Volatility grudgingly gave way after dictating the run carrying more weight following a debut win. He's still a big baby and there's more improvement to come. Supreme Witness just failed to get up for a placing following a box-seat run. It was an improved effort in blinkers. Shanghai Dragon peaked on his run 50m out after briefly getting to second at the 150m following a tough run when continually bothered in midfield by favourite Magic Success.

Racing Incident Report

Race Four: (430) - LUCKY STAR HANDICAP - Class 4 - 1200Meters

After being loaded into the barriers, EXHILARATING TIME became very fractious and got down in the barriers before getting out under the front gates.

In this incident, the saddle on EXHILARATING TIME shifted back considerably, resulting in the horse bucking for a considerable distance when riderless and competing a circuit of the course.

Acting on veterinary advice that EXHILARATING TIME was not suitable to start, the horse was withdrawn by order of the Stewards.

As EXHILARATING TIME was favourite for the race, all horses were removed from the barriers and the starting time of the race delayed.

When being removed from the barriers, HONEST WAY became fractious, resulting in T Berry being dislodged.

T Berry was examined by the Club's Racing Medical Officer positioned at the Start and passed fit to ride.

Before being allowed to race again, EXHILARATING TIME will be required to perform satisfactorily in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination.

After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that EXHILARATING TIME had sustained minor wounds to both front feet and had lost its left front plate.

XIANG HUANG QI shifted out at the start and bumped SILVER FIG.

NOBLE STAR shifted in abruptly at the start and bumped HORSE BULLET which lost ground.

RESPECT began only fairly.

From a wide barrier, LONDON MASTER was steadied in the early stages and shifted across behind runners.

After the 800 Metres, MAGIC SUCCESS, which was wearing blinkers for the first time today, commenced to prove very difficult to settle and near the 700 Metres got its head up when being severely checked away from the heels of SILVER FIG.

MAGIC SUCCESS continued to prove very difficult to settle and near the 600 Metres again got its head up when again being restrained away from the heels of SILVER FIG.

Whilst the Stewards were aware that the tempo of the race did slacken in the middle stages, having regard to the reaction of all other horses and their relative positioning at the relevant stage, they did not consider that the slackening of the pace was the primary reason for the incident involving MAGIC SUCCESS and therefore no further action was taken.

When MAGIC SUCCESS was checked away from the heels of SILVER FIG near the 700 Metres, it shifted out, resulting in SHANGHAI DRAGON being hampered and taken wider.

Then near the 650 Metres, SHANGHAI DRAGON shifted back in and bumped MAGIC SUCCESS.

Approaching the 700 Metres, SILVER FIG and NICE KICK bumped.

Passing the 500 Metres, NOBLE STAR and RESPECT bumped due to RESPECT laying out.

NOBLE STAR then shifted out and bumped the hindquarters of NICE KICK which shifted in marginally.

This resulted in NICE KICK becoming badly unbalanced and shifting in abruptly, causing NOBLE STAR to also become badly unbalanced when crowded for room between NICE KICK and RESPECT.

As the Stewards were satisfied that there was no rider error involved in this incident, no further action was taken.

Rounding the Home Turn, SHANGHAI DRAGON and MAGIC SUCCESS raced tight as MAGIC SUCCESS shifted out to obtain clear running.

Near the 250 Metres, NICE KICK was brushed by MAGIC SUCCESS which was racing tight inside SHANGHAI DRAGON.

At the 200 Metres, RESPECT was bumped by NOBLE STAR which got its head on the side and lay in.

P-C Boudot (SHANGHAI DRAGON) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that approaching and passing the 100 Metres he permitted his mount to shift in when not clear of MAGIC SUCCESS, causing that horse to be unnecessarily crowded for room and taken in onto NICE KICK which became unbalanced after being bumped by MAGIC SUCCESS.

P-C Boudot was suspended from riding in races for a period to commence on Sunday, 25 February 2018 and to expire on Thursday, 1 March 2018 on which day he may resume race riding (2 Hong Kong racedays).

In addition, Jockey Boudot was fined $7,500.

When questioned, T Berry stated that HONEST WAY, which was having its first race start today, took some time in the early part of the Straight to gather momentum.

He said passing the 200 Metres HONEST WAY was closing off the race strongly and he intended to improve into clear running between SILVER FIG and SHANGHAI DRAGON as there was comfortable room to improve between those horses.

He said however passing the 200 Metres SILVER FIG commenced to drift in and as he felt that that horse would likely continue to drift in, he committed HONEST WAY, which is a long striding horse, to the outside of SILVER FIG.

He said as soon as he committed to shift to the outside of SILVER FIG, SHANGHAI DRAGON, which was racing inside that horse, also drifted in which resulted in the run remaining available, however, at this time he had already made the decision to shift to the outside of SILVER FIG.

He added for the remainder of the race SILVER FIG continued to lay in under pressure and shift ground and he felt that at the time the best option to obtain unimpeded running was to shift to the outside of that horse.

After viewing the videos, T Berry's explanation was accepted.

Following the race, A Sanna expressed concern regarding the action of NOBLE STAR.

A veterinary inspection of NOBLE STAR immediately following the race did not show any significant findings.

MAGIC SUCCESS, SILVER FIG and HONEST WAY were sent for sampling.