The race track witnessed a thrilling yet chaotic start, with a series of incidents that set the tone for the day's events. A dramatic opening scene unfolded at the Sha Tin race course on November 15, 2025.
Race One: The LUKFOOK JEWELLERY HEXICON HANDICAP, a Class 4R race over 1200 meters, kicked off with a bang. Horse No. 1, LIGHT YEARS GLORY, ridden by M Chadwick, had a rough start, shifting in and getting bumped at the beginning. As Chadwick attempted to correct the horse's position near the 350-meter mark, it shifted out and was bumped again. Chadwick's strategy was to follow GEORGIAN SIGMA across, but LIGHT YEARS GLORY couldn't keep up, forcing them to race wide and exposed for most of the race.
But here's where it gets controversial: GEORGIAN SIGMA (Z Purton) also had a bumpy start, abruptly shifting in and making contact with COOL BOY (J Orman). This set off a chain reaction, affecting several other horses. RUBY THRIVE, making its debut, raced ungenerously, causing issues near the 900-meter mark when it became unbalanced and checked, positioned inside GEORGIAN SIGMA. The Stewards deemed RUBY THRIVE's manners and performance unacceptable, requiring further trials before its next race.
Other notable incidents included FALCON HUNTER (C L Chau) getting bumped by LIGHT YEARS GLORY, affecting its position and pace, and FOREVER FANCY (D Probert) being steadied near the 350-meter mark due to the shifting of COOL BOY and LIGHT YEARS GLORY. JOLLY BRILLIANT had to be steadied twice to avoid other horses, and WORD OF KINDNESS had a challenging race, bumping into SALON S at the start and later racing tight to the inside of ELITE GOLF.
The race showcased the challenges of managing horse positions and manners, with several riders advised to exercise more caution. With such a dramatic start, one can't help but wonder how these incidents influenced the final outcome. Did the early chaos favor the bold or the cautious? And this is the part most people miss—how these initial moments can shape the entire race, leaving some horses with an uphill battle and others with a smooth path to victory.
