JOCKEY Darren Beadman's ride on beaten odds-on favourite Collection in the Audemars Piguet QE II Cup in Hong Kong on Sunday faces further scrutiny after stewards opened then adjourned an inquiry which also revealed the star gelding had blood in the trachea after his final training gallop eight days before the race.

Alan Aiken reports in the South China Morning Post that after reviewing video replays of the meeting, chief steward Kim Kelly "believed it was appropriate to question Beadman regarding his ride, particularly over the final 100 metres".

During the hearing, Beadman told the inquiry that "whilst he had not ridden the horse at its final gallop on Saturday, April 17, it had been reported to him that Collection was found to have blood in the trachea following the gallop".

He said for this reason Collection's trainer, John Moore, decided not to gallop the horse again in the lead-up to the race as it has been the case in the past. He said although this issue did not inhibit his ability to ride out Collection in the run to the finish, "he was mindful when riding Collection that the horse had been found to have blood in its trachea after its last piece of fast work".

The release concluded: "Having in mind the evidence of jockey Beadman in respect of this matter, the stewards advised him that before giving consideration to his evidence, they would adjourn the matter until Mr Moore, who was not present in Hong Kong, may be interviewed."

Collection started a $17 favourite and, after racing towards the rear of the field, was unable to make up the required ground on the leaders and finished a close sixth behind stablemate Viva Pataca.

Regarding the final 100m, Beadman told the inquiry "he was mindful that Collection had shifted in abruptly at its most recent start, resulting in interference to runners on the inside, and he continued to ride with the whip in the right hand but applied pressure to the left hand rein in an attempt to prevent Collection from shifting in further".

The inquiry was adjourned until a date to be fixed.

Meanwhile, plans to run Collection in the Singapore International Airlines Cup next month have been scrapped.

Moore said after the QE II Cup that Collection would still go to Singapore as planned on May 16, provided he pulled up well from the race.

STORY COURTESY OF ALAN AIKEN AND SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST