20/05/2015  Happy Valley  Race 3

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP was withdrawn on 19.5.15 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right fore) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter SUMARAND DRAGON (G Mosse). Before being allowed to race again, HAPPY FRIENDSHIP will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. PROMPT EXPRESS began only fairly and then shortly after the start was steadied when crowded for room between GREAT TOPLIGHT and THANKSGIVING which shifted out. Shortly after the start, SUMARAND DRAGON shifted out, resulting in MR VANILLA being taken out onto VARA PEARL. GREAT TOPLIGHT lost its right front plate shortly after the start. From a wide barrier, GOOD METHOD was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Approaching the winning post on the first occasion, PROMPT EXPRESS shifted in and bumped MAC ROW. When PROMPT EXPRESS was shifted out to relieve the tightening to MAC ROW, GREAT TOPLIGHT was momentarily inconvenienced. Near the 1300 Metres, STEP HIGH was momentarily crowded for room inside PROMPT EXPRESS. Approaching the 1300 Metres, MR VANILLA shifted in and made heavy contact with the running rail of its own accord when momentarily racing tight inside MAC ROW which shifted in marginally when being steadied to allow GREAT TOPLIGHT to cross. This resulted in MR VANILLA being severely checked and its rider, J Moreira, almost being dislodged. In this incident, J Moreira lost the use of his left iron for a short distance. MAC ROW, which was racing to the outside of MR VANILLA, shifted out abruptly to provide racing room to MR VANILLA, resulting in VARA PEARL, GOOD METHOD and MAZANDARAN being taken wider. After this, MAZANDARAN travelled wide and without cover for the majority of the race. STEP HIGH lost its left front plate approaching the 1300 Metres. Passing the 1200 Metres, after being left racing wide, SUMARAND DRAGON was allowed to improve its position to obtain the lead near the 900 Metres. Making the turn after the 600 Metres, GOOD METHOD, after initially being taken out by GREAT TOPLIGHT, momentarily got its head on the side and shifted in, resulting in VARA PEARL being crowed for room. Approaching the 500 Metres, MAC ROW was awkwardly placed close to the heels of STEP HIGH. MAC ROW was then held up for clear running rounding the Home Turn and at the entrance to the Straight was shifted in away from the heels of PROMPT EXPRESS. GREAT TOPLIGHT lost its left front plate near the 450 Metres. The Stewards considered a protest/objection lodged by B Prebble, the rider of GREAT TOPLIGHT, which finished 2nd, against the winner, ADDOLE, alleging interference to his mount rounding the Home Turn. After taking evidence from all parties concerned and after viewing the official videos, the Stewards found that just prior to the entrance to the Straight GREAT TOPLIGHT raced tight outside STEP HIGH as Jockey Prebble attempted to prevent STEP HIGH from shifting out. A short distance later, GREAT TOPLIGHT was shifted out away from the heels of ADDOLE which shifted out. Having in mind the degree of the interference and that GREAT TOPLIGHT had the length of the Home Straight but was unable to pass ADDOLE, the Stewards could not be comfortably satisfied that had the minor interference not occurred that GREAT TOPLIGHT would have finished in front of ADDOLE and as such the protest/objection was overruled and weighed-in was declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge. STEP HIGH, ADDOLE and GREAT TOPLIGHT were sent for sampling.