05/03/2014  Happy Valley  Race 4

VICTORY MASTER and RAINBOW CHIC were taken across behind runners shortly after the start. Passing the winning post on the first occasion, NOBLE DELUXE got its head up when awkwardly placed close to the heels of DEEP THINKER which proved difficult to settle when being steadied to allow BULLISH BOY to cross. Passing the 1300 Metres, both DEEP THINKER and NOBLE DELUXE continued to prove very difficult to settle, resulting in NOBLE DELUXE shifting out when being checked away from the heels of DEEP THINKER and in doing so making contact with HYPERSONIC, causing both horses to become unbalanced. After this, NOBLE DELUXE continued to prove very difficult to settle and near the 800 Metres was shifted out from behind PLEASURE GAINS and allowed to stride forward to race outside the lead. Making the turn near the 550 Metres, BULLISH BOY became unbalanced after being bumped by NOBLE DELUXE (W M Lai) which shifted in. W M Lai was reprimanded and advised that he would be expected to show far more care than he did on this occasion when shifting ground. When questioned, M L Yeung stated that as it was anticipated that BULLISH BOY would be able to lead comfortably, he was instructed to let the horse use its natural speed in the early stages and take up the running and rate it so as to allow it to be able to show a turn of foot when asked later in the race. He said after shifting across to race on the rail in the early stages, he permitted BULLISH BOY to travel at its own tempo and, in his opinion, did not overly restrain it. He said whilst he realized that the tempo of the race was very slow in the early and middle stages, he only became fully aware of precisely how slow the sectionals were after the race. M L Yeung was advised that whilst the Stewards readily accept that it can be advantageous to be able to dictate the race at a moderate pace, in the opinion of the Stewards, on this occasion he had slowed the first 800 Metres of the race to an unnecessary slow tempo which may not have been advantageous for his own mount given that the rider of NOBLE DELUXE was left with little option but to allow his mount to stride forward after the 800 Metres to race outside BULLISH BOY due to having been awkwardly placed close to the heels of the runner in front for some distance which had the consequence of the race developing into an extended sprint home. He was further advised to be more aware of the tempo he is setting in races in future. A veterinary inspection of RAINBOW CHIC immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. BULLISH BOY, PLEASURE GAINS and VICTORY MASTER were sent for sampling.