Local freelance jockey Jacky Tong Chi-kit has been found guilty of failing to ride Calling With Love to the satisfaction of the stewards at Happy Valley in early November and will miss most of December through suspension.
At Friday’s reconvened hearing on the November 6 race, trainer Caspar Fownes was present to give evidence both as trainer and as the representative of the horse’s owner, Canto-pop star Aaron Kwok Fu-shing.
The stewards took exception to Tong’s riding after the 400-metre mark of the race, charging the jockey with showing insufficient “vigour and purpose” in the run down the home straight. The charge formally fell under racing rules 99 (2) and (5), dealing with a jockey’s obligation to use all reasonable and permissible measures to win or obtain the best possible placing in a race.
Tong was found guilty and suspended until December 27, an eight-meeting ban which will commence after Tong rides at the Happy Valley meeting this Wednesday.
He is the first rider suspended for this type of offence since Howard Cheng Yue-tin was given a 13-meeting ban in May last year.
Tong had 24 hours to indicate whether he intended to lodge an appeal over the ban.
