Racing Incident Report

On arrival at the Start, it was noted that LEADING FORTUNE had blood in its mouth. LEADING FORTUNE was examined by the Veterinary Officer and passed suitable to race.
AWE was slow to begin.
DAILY CHARM shifted out at the start and bumped CHEERFUL STAR.
MORE THAN A HORSE lost ground shortly after the start when buffeted for room between EXALTATION and STUNNING IMPACT, both of which shifted ground.
From wide barriers, SMART COUSIN and EZRA were shifted across behind runners in the early stages.
Approaching the 1550 Metres, MORE THAN A HORSE got its head up when awkwardly placed behind JOYFUL HEART.
AWE travelled keenly after the 1400 Metres and commenced to prove very difficult to settle passing the 700 Metres and was checked away from the heels of EXALTATION.
Passing the 600 Metres, LEADING FORTUNE and EXALTATION raced tight as LEADING FORTUNE shifted out from behind STUNNING IMPACT. LEADING FORTUNE then raced tight between EXALTATION and STUNNING IMPACT after the 600 Metres. This resulted in LEADING FORTUNE and STUNNING IMPACT bumping passing the 550 Metres. STUNNING IMPACT was then awkwardly placed passing the 500 Metres between LEADING FORTUNE and DAILY CHARM which shifted out. JOYFUL HEART, which was following, was shifted out away from the heels of STUNNING IMPACT in consequence.
H N Wong, the rider of SMART COUSIN, dropped his whip after passing the 50 Metres.
Close to the finishing line, STUNNING IMPACT was awkwardly placed behind LEADING FORTUNE and consequently was not ridden out all the way to the end of the race.
For the majority of the race, EXALTATION travelled wide and without cover.
When questioned, C Y Ho (STUNNING IMPACT) stated that after racing outside and behind DAILY CHARM along the Back Straight, he attempted to improve his position after the 900 Metres to make up the ground between his mount and the leaders. He said STUNNING IMPACT immediately came under pressure and he had to ride his mount along stronger after the 800 Metres to try and improve his position. He said STUNNING IMPACT came under heavy pressure prior to the 600 Metres and would not respond to his riding. He said because of the manner in which STUNNING IMPACT raced in the middle stages, he recommended to connections that they consider adding blinkers to the gear of the horse in its future starts.
When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of EZRA, J Moreira stated that after shifting his mount across behind runners from a wide barrier in the early stages, EZRA was taken wider on a number of occasions after the 800 Metres as he attempted to improve his position. He said after making some ground near the 600 Metres, EZRA came under heavy pressure rounding the Home Turn and got its head on the side and lay out. He said, despite being ridden along in the early part of the Straight, EZRA did not respond to his riding and then failed to finish off the race. He added EZRA did not stretch out in the Straight and did not feel comfortable in its action. A veterinary inspection of EZRA immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. Before being allowed to race again, EZRA will be subjected to an official veterinary examination.
When questioned, Z Purton stated that JOYFUL HEART was not suited by the slow tempo of the race in the early and middle stages. He said JOYFUL HEART was not able to get into a rhythm during the race and because of this was not able to quicken when placed under pressure and subsequently did not finish off the race. A veterinary inspection of JOYFUL HEART immediately following the race did not show any significant findings.
The Stewards opened an inquiry into V Borges’ riding of DAILY CHARM for a considerable distance after the 1600 Metres. After taking evidence from V Borges and Mr C S Shum, the trainer of the horse, the Stewards adjourned the inquiry until a date to be fixed.
JOYFUL HEART, SHANGHAI DRAGON and DAILY CHARM were sent for sampling.
<26/4/2021 DAILY CHARM INQUIRY>The Stewards today continued their inquiry into V Borges’ riding of DAILY CHARM in the Somerset Handicap which was run at Sha Tin Racecourse on Saturday, 17 April 2021. Further evidence was today taken from Jockey Borges and Mr C S Shum, the trainer of DAILY CHARM. A written authority for Mr Shum to represent the interests of Ms Yu Mo Man, the owner of DAILY CHARM, at today’s inquiry was tendered.
V Borges was charged with having breached Hong Kong Rule of Racing 99 (2) and (6) in that as the rider of DAILY CHARM in the stated race, he failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure DAILY CHARM was given a full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible placing in the field.
The particulars of the charge being:-
1. That after obtaining a forward position between the start of the race and the 1600 Metres he did fail to make any endeavor between the 1600 Metres and the 1200 Metres to maintain a position closer to the leader of the race, SHANGHAI DRAGON, when it was both reasonable and permissible for him to have done so, given that:-
- The overall sectional of the race between the 1600 Metres and the 1200 Metres was 23.15, which was approximately 1.0 second slower than the standard time for that section in Class 4 races over 1800 Metres at Sha Tin conducted since September 2019.
- DAILY CHARM’s sectional time between the 1600 Metres and the 1200 Metres was 23.95, which was approximately 1.8 seconds slower than the standard time for that section in Class 4 races over 1800 Metres at Sha Tin conducted since September 2019.
- At the 1200 Metres, DAILY CHARM was approximately 7.3 lengths behind SHANGHAI DRAGON, a margin which, given the tempo of the race, was available to be reduced.
- Given the tempo of the race between the 1600 Metres and the 1200 Metres, his failure to endeavour to position DAILY CHARM closer to SHANGHAI DRAGON resulted in DAILY CHARM getting unnecessarily out of its ground in relation to that horse.
2. That between the 1200 Metres and 800 Metres he did fail to make any endeavour to improve his position to be closer to the leader of the race, SHANGHAI DRAGON, when it was both reasonable and permissible for him to have done so, given that:-
- The overall sectional of the race between the 1200 Metres and the 800 Metres was 25.30, which was approximately 1.5 seconds slower than the standard time for that section in Class 4 races over 1800 Metres at Sha Tin conducted since September 2019.
- DAILY CHARM’s sectional time between the 1200 Metres and the 800 Metres was 25.14, which was approximately 1.3 seconds slower than the standard time for that section in Class 4 races over 1800 Metres at Sha Tin conducted since September 2019.
- At the 800 Metres, DAILY CHARM was approximately 6.3 lengths behind SHANGHAI DRAGON, a margin which, given the tempo of the race, was available to be reduced.
- Given the tempo of the race between the 1200 Metres and the 800 Metres, his failure to endeavour to position DAILY CHARM closer to SHANGHAI DRAGON resulted in DAILY CHARM remaining unnecessarily out of its ground in relation to that horse.
3. That between the 800 Metres until near the 550 Metres he did fail to make any reasonable endeavour to improve his position to be closer to the leader of the race, SHANGHAI DRAGON, when it was both reasonable and permissible for him to have done so, given the slow tempo of the race to the 800 Metres, the tempo of the race at the relevant time and the margin of approximately 3 lengths between DAILY CHARM and SHANGHAI DRAGON which was available to be reduced.
4. That by riding DAILY CHARM as he did between the 1600 Metres until near the 550 Metres he did fail to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure that DAILY CHARM was given a full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible placing in the field.
The Stewards immediately adjourned the inquiry until a date and time to be fixed at which time Jockey Borges will be asked to enter a plea to the charge.
<10/5/2021 DAILY CHARM INQUIRY>The Stewards today continued their inquiry into V Borges’ riding of DAILY CHARM in the Somerset Handicap which was run at Sha Tin Racecourse on Saturday, 17 April 2021. The inquiry was adjourned on 26 April 2021 at which time V Borges was charged with having breached Hong Kong Rule of Racing 99(2) and (6). The particulars of the charge have previously been published.
V Borges today pleaded guilty to the charge which was issued on 26 April 2021. After hearing submissions on penalty, the Stewards decided that the appropriate penalty was for his licence to ride in races to be suspended for a period to commence on Monday, 24 May 2021 and to expire on Sunday, 27 June 2021 on which day he may resume race riding. During this time, there are nine racemeetings scheduled to be conducted in Hong Kong.
The evidence tendered during the inquiry by Mr C S Shum, trainer of DAILY CHARM, was accepted.