Hong Kong!

[my miss storm cat]

Sacred Kingdom departs...

http://www.hkjc.com/english/news/news_2009060722290.htm

Scratched and retired today.....

10 year old Amo.

You'll be missed!

His record, replays...

http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/h...&Option=1#htop


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NAMJONG SKY
HKJC

On Wednesday 3 June 2009, the Stewards interviewed Mr S Woods, the trainer of NAMJONG SKY, which suffered a catastrophic injury when it fractured the sesamoid bones in its left front leg shortly after entering the Home Straight in batch 2 of the official barrier trials held at Sha Tin on 2 June 2009. Also interviewed were Dr B D Stewart, Head of Veterinary Regulation & International Liaison, Dr K H Lam, Veterinary Officer, Jockey Z Purton who rode NAMJONG SKY in the official barrier trial, Mr J Gadsby, Expert Work Rider, Mr C K Tsang, Assistant Trainer to Mr Woods, and Mr C P Ting, Work Rider I, who is allocated to the stable of Mr Woods.

The evidence disclosed that NAMJONG SKY was transferred to Mr Woods' stable on 2 April 2009. On the day following its arrival at Mr Woods' stable, NAMJONG SKY was ridden in light work by Mr Gadsby. Following this work, Mr Woods and Mr Gadsby spoke and both expressed concerns over the action of the horse. Because of this Mr Woods requested his Clinical Veterinary Surgeon investigate the horse's poor action. It was noted NAMJONG SKY had a history of ongoing soreness in both front legs and also the left hind leg. During the clinical examination of NAMJONG SKY on 3 April 2009, X-rays were taken of all four legs. On 9 April 2009, bone scans were conducted on all four legs of NAMJONG SKY. The examination of NAMJONG SKY showed the horse to have degenerative changes in all four fetlock joints. The bone scans showed no active fracture lesions in the horse's legs. Because of these findings, the Department of Veterinary Regulation & International Liaison decided NAMJONG SKY would be required to pass an official veterinary examination prior to being permitted to race again.

Mr Woods said because of the veterinary findings he eased off the work being given to NAMJONG SKY to assist the horse in recovering from its issues. He said NAMJONG SKY resumed fast work on 6 May 2009 when in his opinion the horse's action was suitable to have pressure applied to it. He said as the progress of NAMJONG SKY continued to satisfy him, the horse was entered for and took part in an official barrier trial at Sha Tin on 19 May 2009 immediately after which the horse was subjected to the required official veterinary examination. Z Purton, who rode NAMJONG SKY in this trial, advised the Stewards he was satisfied with the action of the horse during the trial. Dr Lam, who examined NAMJONG SKY after the trial, advised the horse passed the official veterinary examination when no soreness was evident in its action. Mr Woods said he then continued to work NAMJONG SKY in accordance with his usual stable routine and entered the horse for a further official barrier trial on 2 June 2009. He said he hoped to start NAMJONG SKY in a race prior to the end of the season. He said there had been no cause to have NAMJONG SKY examined or treated by a Clinical Veterinary Surgeon between the official barrier trials in which it took part. NAMJONG SKY was again ridden by Z Purton in the official barrier trial, 1050 Metres, on 2 June 2009 and said he was satisfied with the horse's action on the way to the Start and during the trial until NAMJONG SKY went amiss near the 400 Metres and fell.

Mr Gadsby said after riding NAMJONG SKY on 3 April 2009, he advised Mr Tsang that he did not wish to ride the horse in further work due to its action. Mr Gadsby said he was not then rostered to ride NAMJONG SKY again until 28 April 2009. He said the only other occasion he was rostered to ride NAMJONG SKY was Monday 1 June 2009 and on that morning after riding the horse in the trotting ring to warm it up for its work, he advised Mr Woods that he did not wish to ride the horse on the training track. He said Mr Woods then organised him to swap horses with Mr Ting prior to proceeding to the track. Mr Gadsby told the Stewards he did not wish to ride NAMJONG SKY on the track on the morning of 1 June 2009 because he generally did not like the action of the horse and not that he had specific concerns with the horse's action that morning. He said in his opinion the action of NAMJONG SKY was similar on each of the three occasions he had ridden the horse and there had been no noticeable deterioration in the action of NAMJONG SKY during the period the horse had been trained by Mr Woods.

Mr Ting said he had frequently ridden NAMJONG SKY in work since the horse had joined Mr Woods' stable and in his opinion the horse's action was satisfactory and had not deteriorated in that time. He said when he worked NAMJONG SKY on 1 June 2009, the action of the horse was not of a concern to him.

Dr Stewart advised the inquiry that in his opinion the investigation of NAMJONG SKY's soreness was appropriate.

On the evidence before them, the Stewards did not believe it appropriate for this matter to be taken further.