appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

A jockey at the centre of a legal wrangle over who should foot the bill after a thoroughbred was injured in a race had ridden recklessly, a former senior steward testified yesterday, disputing the opinion of the chief steward at the time.

Major Peter Steveney told the Court of First Instance that after viewing videos of the race, he believed Willy Kan Wai-yu had ridden recklessly after the horses were let out of the gate in a feature race at Sha Tin in May 1998.

On Tuesday, chief steward Christopher Lee told the court Kan had ridden carelessly - not the more serious offence of reckless riding - and had been suspended from racing for five days.

Yesterday, Major Steveney said the actions of apprentice rider Kan caused the horses to bunch - during which time Celestial Fortune's hoof connected with Harbour Master's foreleg, severing a tendon. Harbour Master was put down after the race.

Kan was killed the following year, aged 20, when she was trampled during a race fall.

The case, a world first, seeks to prove that a duty of care existed from Kan and the Hong Kong Jockey Club to the owner of Harbour Master.

At present that duty only exists between jockeys, requiring them to ride safely.

The owner of Harbour Master, tycoon and socialite Dickson Poon, has not initiated the action, which has been brought by insurance giant Lloyd's.

The company is seeking to recoup 3.5 million French francs ($3.6 million) in insurance paid to Mr Poon for the loss of Harbour Master. It also wants indemnification for loss of future earnings amounting to $140,000.

Major Steveney, a former senior steward of the British Jockey Club, testified as an expert witness for the insurer yesterday.

He said Kan had not been more than two lengths in front of her nearest mount when she moved in towards the rail on the second occasion.

'She was guilty of a serious act of negligence because she rode from the outside to the inside. I think she took a risk,' he said.

Major Steveney's evidence conflicts with the testimony given on Tuesday by Mr Lee, who said Kan had looked over her shoulder several times before making the move.

Major Steveney said that while he could understand why the stewards had come to the conclusion of careless riding, he believed her actions were reckless. He rejected submissions from defence counsel Joseph Fok, SC, who said Harbour Master had clipped his own leg during the final leg of the race.

The hearing continues today before Mr Justice William Stone.



Jockey rode recklessly, ex-steward tells court