Jockey fighting careless riding charge loses another horse

Punters were left in shock at the Sha Tin Racecourse yesterday as two horses tumbled during the races.

The first incident occurred during the 1,600-meter race at 1.20 pm, when One Heart One, the number six horse with Australian jockey Hugh Bowman in the mount, fell in the final 330 meters.

Bowman was shaken but unscathed, but the injury to the five-year-old horse was obvious and One Heart One was taken to the Equine Hospital, where it was euthanized.

One Heart One, sandwiched between other horses, is suspected to have lost its footing in front.

Bowman underwent an examination but was able to continue riding in his other races.

Small Beauty emerged as the winner in the race, narrowly defeating Diamond Diamond by a neck.

At 5.47 pm, just three seconds after the start of the 1,400-meter race, local jockey Keith Yeung Ming-lun fell from Sugar Ball.

Yeung, a graduate of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Apprentice Jockeys' School, was left on the turf as Sugar Ball, the number 13 horse, continued to the finish line.

Both Yeung and Sugar Ball were examined and found to be uninjured.

One Heart One, born in New Zealand, was owned by Pang Wai-hak, his wife, Pang Ka-yeung and Andy Pang Ka-wai.

The horse was raised by David Hayes.

Yesterday's incident marked the second time in the past three months that Bowman had fallen in a race.

On November 11 of the previous year, he was thrown off Tuchel when the horse lost its footing and tripped over another horse, Find My Love.

This accident also caused Yeung to fall. Tuchel had to be euthanized.

Bowman is currently appealing a guilty finding on a charge of careless riding while riding Lucky Banner in race three at the Sha Tin race meeting on January 24.

He has been penalized with a suspension from riding in races from February 15 to February 18, as well as a fine of HK$30,000 by the racing stewards.

According to the Jockey Club's website, Bowman has achieved notable victories throughout his career.

He won the Hong Kong Derby twice in 2016 and 2019, as well as the QEII Cup in 2016, the Hong Kong Gold Cup, and the Champions & Chater Cup in 2017.

In 2019, he was honored with induction into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. In July, he secured a victory in the Group one of the Singapore Derby with Golden Monkey.