Brilliant French jockey Gerald Mosse faces serious questions at an adjourned stewards inquiry into his handling of Willing Storm in the Medical & Health Handicap (1,200m). Jamie Stier's panel opened a hearing into the ride immediately after the John Moore-trained three-year-old looked unlucky to be beaten, finishing third to Gunner Mac (Douglas Whyte) after being held up for clear running in the straight. Most racewatchers agreed that the ground nearer the rail in the straight was slower than away from the fence, but the stewards' bone of contention when the hearing resumes will still be why Mosse initially elected not to take a clear gap towards the inside when the opportunity to improve was available, only to be forced to return to it for clear room later when he was blocked wider out. Once in clear space, Willing Storm finished strongly to run the winner to less than a length, highlighting his potential for next season and underlining a tough day at the office for Moore, who had a number of minor placings, including Willing Storm, Multo Expresso and Dim Sum. The stewards reported only that an inquiry into the riding of Willing Storm rounding the home turn and in the early part of the straight had been adjourned to a date to be fixed after initial evidence was taken from Mosse and Moore. The winner, the David Ferraris-trained Gunner Mac, got his reward for a series of sound efforts at the Sha Tin 1,200m, but Whyte believes Happy Valley might hold a future for the South African import. 'He's got quite a sharp sprint when he lets down but it isn't very long,' Whyte said. 'That's what cost him when he was beaten once before here after hitting the front. So today I used the leader, Classic Navigator as my target horse and just sat behind him for as long as I could wait then really went for mine in the last 150m. You've got to time his run just right on the big track but I think the Valley suits a horse like that better.' Whyte's chances of breaking his own Hong Kong win record are growing slimmer, with his sole success on Gunner Mac taking him to 105. The Durban Demon still has another 10 wins to get if he is to top his 114 wins of two seasons ago.
