BORGES HIT WITH NINE-MEETING BAN
The Jockey Club punishes the Brazilian for lacking intent aboard Daily Charm at Sha Tin on April 17
Brazilian jockey Vagner Borges has been suspended for nine meetings by Jockey Club stewards after pleading guilty to not taking all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure Daily Charm had the best possible chance of winning at Sha Tin on April 17.
Borges has paid a heavy price for his lack of intent aboard the Danny Shum Chap-shing-trained galloper, with the Brazilian allowing Shanghai Dragon and Lucky
Missile to open up a significant buffer in front while he travelled in third position.
Despite running 2.82 seconds slower than standard for the six furlongs from the 1,600m to the 400m, Shanghai Dragon was allowed to lead by seven lengths, with Lucky Missile sitting just outside him in second.
Borges started to bridge the gap turning for home but couldn’t cut down Shanghai Dragon, who finished full of running after his comfortable trip to hold off Daily Charm in second by three-quarters of a length. When outlining that Borges had been charged with having breached Hong Kong rules of racing 99 (2) and (6), stewards said the jockey failed “to make any endeavour to maintain a position closer to the leader of the race” for a significant part of proceedings.
Daily Charm travelled over three seconds outside standard for the first 1,000m of the contest.
Borges has until this morning to appeal the length of the ban, which begins on May 24 and expires on June 27.
In some positive news for the 28-year-old, stewards decided he didn’t have a case to answer for his ride aboard Champion Pride at Happy Valley last Wednesday night.
After opting to ease his mount back from the outside gate, Borges travelled well aboard Champion Pride until the 400m before deciding to look for inside runs approaching the straight, saying he didn’t want to be forced wide and cover unnecessary ground.
The result was the David Ferraris-trained Champion Pride being stuck behind horses for much of the straight before finishing seventh. Stewards adjourned
the inquiry until yesterday, where they heard evidence from Borges and Ferraris before giving the jockey “the benefit of the doubt in respect of his decision not to attempt to position Champion Pride to be able to improve to the outside of Aca Power” in the home straight. “Whilst not electing to proceed further with this matter, Borges was told that his riding of Champion Pride had come under notice and that he must ensure that he positions his horses, wherever circumstances permit, to allow them clear and uninterrupted running so as to ensure that his riding is not open to query,” Jockey Club chief steward Kim Kelly said in a statement.
Meanwhile, superstar Golden Sixty is among the entries for the Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) on May 23 as connections weigh up whether to chase the HK$10 million bonus for winning the Triple Crown.