02/04/2014  Happy Valley  Race 3

After being loaded, HAPPILY TIME became factious, reared and got its left front leg over the front gate. HAPPILY TIME was removed from the barriers and examined by the Veterinary Officer who said in his opinion it was suitable to race. Before being allowed to race again, HAPPILY TIME will be required to perform satisfactorily in a stalls test. DOUBLE MASTER began only fairly. NAZAKAT'S LAD became unbalanced shortly after the start when bumped by BUNKER SHOT which shifted out. SEASONS STAR was crowded for room shortly after the start between GLORY HORSIE which shifted in and KINGSTON JUMBO which shifted out after being bumped by CALL ME ACHIEVER. GLORY HORSIE then shifted out and made heavy contact with HAPPILY TIME which became unbalanced. After this, HAPPILY TIME was taken across behind runners. Near the 950 Metres, CALL ME ACHIEVER and OCEAN ROAR became unbalanced as a result of OCEAN ROAR shifting out abruptly and bumping CALL ME ACHIEVER. Throughout the race, AMEDEO travelled wide and without cover and in the Straight gave ground. When questioned, A Suborics stated that he was asked to position BUNKER SHOT, which was having its first start in Hong Kong tonight, wherever it was comfortable. He said BUNKER SHOT began satisfactorily, however, HAPPILY TIME to his inside began better than BUNKER SHOT. He said as HAPPILY TIME had a line of runners to its inside in the early stages, he elected to steady BUNKER SHOT and shift his mount across behind HAPPILY TIME and improve his position closer to the rail. He said as he was steadying BUNKER SHOT with a view to shifting behind HAPPILY TIME, that horse was then steadied by its rider to shift in behind GLORY HORSIE and this resulted in BUNKER SHOT having to be positioned further back in the field than he had anticipated. He added after shifting in behind HAPPILY TIME at the 900 Metres, he rode his mount aggressively in an attempt to improve his position inside that horse and outside KINGSTON JUMBO, however, HAPPILY TIME shifted in after the 800 Metres and he was not able to improve BUNKER SHOT's position sufficiently to obtain the position between KINGSTON JUMBO and HAPPILY TIME. He said after being crossed by HAPPILY TIME near the 700 Metres, he again rode his mount aggressively including slapping the horse down the shoulder with the whip in the right hand in order to maintain his position behind that horse. He said although a gap opened up between HAPPILY TIME and the horses in front of that horse, he was riding his mount along at this time to maintain its position and did not believe it was not reasonable to shift the horse out into a three wide position around HAPPILY TIME at this point of the race as BUNKER SHOT was negotiating the first turn and as it was having its first start, he did not want it racing unnecessarily wide on the turns at Happy Valley. He said he continued to ride his mount along after the 500 Metres and was momentarily awkwardly placed close to the heels of HAPPILY TIME near the 400 Metres. He added he shifted BUNKER SHOT to the inside of that horse rounding the Home Turn and was able to improve his position along the rail under hard riding in the Straight. He said whilst BUNKER SHOT closed off the race strongly, he did feel that the horse's finishing effort was somewhat exaggerated by the horses on the speed weakening in the Straight. When questioned, Apprentice C Y Lui (OCEAN ROAR) stated that after becoming unbalanced near the 950 Metres when shifting out abruptly, he had to ride his mount along for some distance to clear DOUBLE MASTER to his inside and obtain the lead on the fence. He said after being able to occupy this position approaching the 800 Metres, OCEAN ROAR relaxed well in front, however, with NAZAKAT'S LAD racing directly to his outside, the race was run at a faster tempo than he had hoped. He said nonetheless OCEAN ROAR travelled satisfactorily and after being placed under pressure in the early part of the Straight initially responded well to his riding, however, the horse then weakened over the final 100 Metres and was disappointing. A veterinary inspection of OCEAN ROAR immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. OCEAN ROAR, DOUBLE MASTER and KINGSTON JUMBO were sent for sampling.