Recap by phillip woo

Clear Choice just had enough left in the tank for the win after establishing a good lead darting to the front 300m out following a deep run with cover travelling better than midfield. He relished the downgrade. Well-backed late Best Alliance finished willingly to just miss out after being held up between runners in the straight after making his run fourth from the rear. He's a winner waiting to happen. Foodie Princess flashed home down the outside from the rear of the field at the top of the straight to snatch a placing. He's building towards a win. Favourite This One's For You's move from a position one-off travelling behind midfield was only good enough to just fill the frame. Dragon Commander ran on steadily without menacing after a deep run with cover outside This One's For You. Megatron kept on all right after a deep run without cover near the speed. Starlit Knight ran on without menacing after settling one from the back from a wide draw.

Racing Incident Report

Race Four: (287) - WONG SHEK HANDICAP - Class 4 - 1650Meters

BEST ALLIANCE was badly crowded for room on jumping between CALIFORNIA LEGEND and MEGATRON which shifted in abruptly.

In this incident, CALIFORNIA LEGEND became unbalanced due to contact on the hindquarters from BEST ALLIANCE.

FOODIE PRINCESS began awkwardly and was then shifted across behind runners in the early stages.

VIVA COUNCIL got its head on the side and made the turn after the 1500 Metres awkwardly.

VIVA COUNCIL subsequently travelled very wide and without cover and continued to lay out.

Passing the 1200 Metres, TANG FLEMING was steadied away from the heels of WAYFOONG CHARMER (C Schofield) which shifted in when not properly clear.

C Schofield was reprimanded.

Rounding the Home Turn, TANG FLEMING commenced to give ground and then finished tailed out.

A veterinary inspection of TANG FLEMING immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious.

The performance of TANG FLEMING was considered unacceptable.

Before being allowed to race again, TANG FLEMING will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination.

M L Yeung (THIS ONE'S FOR YOU) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding [Rule 100(1)] in that passing the 400 Metres he permitted his mount to shift out when not clear of BEST ALLIANCE, resulting in that horse having to be checked and losing the running to which it was rightfully entitled.

M L Yeung was suspended from riding in races for a period to commence on Sunday, 19 January 2020 and to expire on Thursday, 23 January 2020 on which day he may resume race riding (2 Hong Kong racedays).

In addition, M L Yeung was fined $10,000.

After this incident, BEST ALLIANCE was shifted to the outside of DRAGON COMMANDER to obtain clear running.

Throughout the race, MEGATRON travelled wide and without cover.

After the race, K Teetan reported that he had to continually ride GOOD FIT along throughout the race in an endeavour to have it maintain its position.

He said GOOD FIT did not travel well at any stage and failed to close off the race.

When questioned, S de Sousa stated that it was intended for STARLIT KNIGHT to be ridden in a forward position from the outside barrier.

He said STARLIT KNIGHT began only fairly and VIVA COUNCIL, which was drawn immediately inside STARLIT KNIGHT, jumped far better than his mount.

He said he felt that if he had ridden STARLIT KNIGHT forward in an attempt to cross VIVA COUNCIL, he would have had to make a lot of use of the horse and if he was not able to cross that horse, he would have been left racing extremely wide.

He said he therefore elected to shift his mount across behind VIVA COUNCIL and other runners in the early stages and obtain a trailing position further back in the field than had been intended.

A veterinary inspection of MEGATRON immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious.

A veterinary inspection of WAYFOONG CHARMER immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea.

Before being allowed to race again, WAYFOONG CHARMER will be subjected to an official veterinary examination.

THIS ONE'S FOR YOU, CLEAR CHOICE and BEST ALLIANCE were sent for sampling.