Recap by phillip woo

Favourite Chevalier Prince wore down Uncle Steve in the final few strides for the win after a rail run behind midfield. He's shown plenty of ability in his six starts and can head higher. Uncle Steve did everything right but get the win after surging to the front 100m out following a rail run in midfield. He's now filled the frame in three of four starts this term and can bob up shortly. Romantic Combo kept on well for a placing after settling third along the fence. A win is around the corner after showing improved form in his past three of five starts. Beauty Day grudgingly gave way after driving forward to along the fence to claim the lead from Tempest Express 900m out. It was his best run. Sunny Star stayed on all right without menacing following a one-off run in midfield. It wasn't a bad effort stepping up in class and distance following a 1,400m win. Awe closed off reasonably well after making his run five back and one off the fence. He's not too far off a bottom.

Racing Incident Report

Race Nine: (229) - CHEVALIER PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONS HANDICAP - Class 3 - 1600Meters

GREAT TREASURE began only fairly.

RUBY STARS began very awkwardly and shifted out abruptly, resulting in MR ALDAN being checked and losing ground and TEMPEST EXPRESS becoming unbalanced after being bumped by RUBY STARS.

After this, when being steadied to obtain cover, RUBY STARS travelled very keenly.

RUBY STARS, which was wearing blinkers for the first time in Hong Kong, continued to prove very difficult to settle and passing the 1000 Metres was left racing wide and without cover.

From a wide barrier, LEGION OF MERIT was shifted across behind runners in the early stages.

Over the concluding stages, AWE was awkwardly placed outside the heels of ROMANTIC COMBO.

V Borges stated that he was instructed to ride ROMANTIC COMBO in about midfield or slightly better than midfield given that the horse was better drawn than it had been recently.

He said however that ROMANTIC COMBO began very well without him riding the horse along and then when being steadied shortly after the start to obtain a trailing position with cover proved very difficult to settle and would not relax.

He said he attempted for a considerable distance to steady ROMANTIC COMBO, however, the horse would not respond and continued to travel very strongly which resulted in ROMANTIC COMBO being positioned much further forward than had been anticipated.

He said after the 800 Metres he was racing in a one-off position and then near the 700 Metres raced tight with PERFECT TO GREAT as a result of him maintaining his position one horse off the rail.

He said he was reluctant to be taken in to the rail given that the race was being run at a good tempo and he did not want to be boxed in rounding the turn and in the Straight if the leaders commenced to give ground.

After the race, N Callan (PERFECT TO GREAT) stated that after racing wide and without cover outside ROMANTIC COMBO from the 900 Metres, his mount came under pressure rounding the Home Turn and then did not finish off the race.

When questioned, A Hamelin stated that, from the wide barrier, he was asked to ride TEMPEST EXPRESS in a forward position given that the horse was wearing blinkers for the first time in Hong Kong.

He said he was able to obtain a forward position without having to make any use of TEMPEST EXPRESS, however, when clearing runners to his inside, TEMPEST EXPRESS commenced to travel keenly and after crossing ROMANTIC COMBO to race outside the lead approaching the 1000 Metres, the horse would not relax and got its head up on a number of occasions as he attempted to steady his mount to sit off the leader BEAUTY DAY.

He added TEMPEST EXPRESS would not relax throughout the middle stages which resulted in the horse not being able to finish off the race.

N Callan pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct under Rule 155(5) in that within the Jockeys' Room he directed offensive language towards V Borges in the presence of other jockeys and a Stipendiary Steward.

After considering all the circumstances of this case, the Stewards were of the opinion that the appropriate penalty was for Jockey Callan to be fined a sum of $25,000.

A veterinary inspection of MR ALDAN immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucus in the horse's trachea.

A veterinary inspection of PERFECT TO GREAT and RUBY STARS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings.

CHEVALIER PRINCE and UNCLE STEVE were sent for sampling.