At the Happy Valley racemeeting conducted last night, Jockey C K Tong pleaded guilty of a charge of careless riding and was suspended from riding in races for a period to expire on Monday, 1 December 2014 on which day he may resume race riding. During the inquiry, Jockey Tong requested the Racing Stewards defer the commencement date of the suspension until after the Happy Valley racemeeting which is scheduled to be conducted on Wednesday, 19 November 2014. During this period, three Hong Kong racemeetings are scheduled to be conducted.
The Racing Stewards received an application this morning for the dates of C K Tong’s suspension from riding in races to be amended to allow him to accept race riding engagements at the Sha Tin race meeting on Sunday, 30 November 2014. Jockey Tong informed the Stewards that he was unaware that he may have engagements at this racemeeting when addressing the Panel last night. Had the Racing Stewards been made aware of these possible riding commitments when ruling on the period of suspension, the commencement date of the suspension would have been such that allowed Jockey Tong to accept ride riding engagements on 30 November 2014.
After due consideration it has been decided that Jockey Tong’s period of suspension from riding in races is now to commence on Sunday, 16 November 2014 and will expire on Thursday, 27 November 2014 on which day he may resume race riding. There are three Hong Kong racemeetings scheduled to be held during the revised period of suspension which is consistent with the previous ruling.
