HONG Kong Jockey Club stewards have cleared Darren Beadman's ride on Collection in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup after concluding an adjourned inquiry by taking evidence from trainer John Moore.

Alan Aiken reports in the South China Morning Post that stewards investigated Beadman's riding of the odds-on favorite for the HK$14 million race, particularly over the final 100m.

Moore told stewards he had not issued Beadman (pictured) with firm instructions but expected him to be in the second half of the field, as is Collection's usual style.

Moore said little consideration was given to riding Collection closer due to the expected slow pace as he had drawn wide and he did not believe the five-year-old's best interests would be served by risking being caught wide.

Moore said Beadman had made the correct decision to come outside Super Satin at the top of the straight rather than risk being held up, and observed the jockey had used the whip 15 times in the final 200m and that Collection had made Beadman's job more difficult by laying in.

That necessitated Beadman holding tightly with his left hand to keep Collection from running in, as he had done in the Gold Cup when Beadman was suspended for causing interference to Thumbs Up.

Chief steward Kim Kelly advised Beadman that, while the stewards were aware he had to balance the safety issue with riding the horse out strongly, he still had an obligation to fully test his mount leaving no room for query.

The report also addressed Collection having scoped with mild blood in his trachea after his final gallop on April 17, and Moore indicated he was not concerned about not galloping Collection again before the race as he believed him to be fully fit.

Kelly reported: "It is widely accepted a high percentage of horses will be found to have blood in the trachea following fast or intense work. Mild blood in the trachea, which is generally graded as 2+ blood [grading 1 to 4], is best described as more than flecks of blood being found, but less than a continuous stream. Due to the high percentage of horses which may be found to have mild blood after fast or intense work ... [the veterinary department] does not report these findings as being of significance."

He said the club did not intend to review its reporting criteria on the matter.

Darren Beadman hit back at his critics in the best way possible at Sha Tin on Saturday, slamming home four of the first six winners in a personal best for the Australian jockey.

"I've won four or more plenty of times in Australia but never in Hong Kong," said Beadman, who has been under pressure as the local media took him to task for his beaten ride on Collection in the previous weekend’s Audemars Piguet QE II Cup and the Jockey Club stewards also inquired into his effort.

"It's been an interesting week but I'm glad it's behind me."

His retaining trainer, John Moore, who saddled up all four of the winners - Admiration, Galaxee, High Luck and Final Answer - said the criticism had brought the "eye of the tiger" out in Beadman.

"There's no better answer for what Darren's been through this past week than to ride like he has today. He was just brilliant," said Moore.

STORY COURTESY OF ALAN AIKEN AND THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST.