The three-year-old wore blinkers for the first time and Doleuze had him out of the gates and on the pace in contrast to the young sprinter's previous performances without the shades. He took the race by the scruff of the neck turning for home then defied all attempts to run him down.

A thrilled Doleuze then turned the clock back to his boom run two years ago when stewards had felt the need to warn him to tone down his trademark winning leap up in the saddle.

This time, he paid $2,000 for his celebration, but was not alone.

The stewards also took the same amount from jubilant Michael Rodd after Lead To Win's success and Felix Coetzee handed over $2,000 for the privilege of patting Silent Witness down the neck when he had the Centenary Sprint Cup parcelled up.

National Currency, the horse who gave Silent Witness such a solid test in the Hong Kong Sprint in December, has been humanely put down in Dubai just weeks after being sold to South African stud interests.

The Mike Azzie trained speed machine had won his only race in Dubai in effortless fashion, by 61/2 lengths, but then incurred a foot infection which veterinarians have since determined to have been the result of a spider bite.

Tragically, the spider bite precipitated a full-blown attack of laminitis, a disease in which the lining around the pedal bone swells against the hoof casing, causing a horse excruciating pain.

National Currency had recently been purchased outright by former part-owner Graham Beck, for a reported 12 million rands ($13.8 million). He had earlier been targeted by Hong Kong property tycoon Robert Ng Chee-siong but had not passed the stringent Hong Kong Jockey Club veterinary criteria.

Douglas Whyte will have to lodge an appeal against a careless riding suspension if he wants to retain the mount on Tiber in next Sunday's $14 million Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby.

Whyte's run of good fortune came to an abrupt end last night, with stipendiary stewards finding him guilty of careless riding after piloting favourite Waialae Win into fifth place in the second event.

Particulars of the charge were that shortly after straightening, he permitted his mount to shift in when not clear of runner-up Show Bravely (Michael Rodd), causing that horse to be crowded for room, to lose its rightful running and be checked.

The jockeys' premiership pacesetter was suspended for four race meetings. He must fulfil his obligations at Happy Valley on Wednesday and is scheduled to resume riding on April 4.

Whyte was also warned after an incident in which his right elbow came into contact with the left arm of Rodd.

Chief steward Jamie Stier said Whyte has been told on 'numerous occasions' to refrain from the practice of 'having his elbow shifted out from his body'.

Stier said that while the stewards were satisfied he had not breached the rules yesterday, Whyte was advised that 'in slightly different circumstances' his action may place him in breach of the rules of racing.

Wendyll Woods also earned the ire of stewards for the fourth time this season - the third time for careless riding. He was suspended for five meetings.