31/10/2021  Happy Valley  Race 9

PROPICE, which was fractious in the stalls when being saddled, was examined by the Veterinary Officer and found to be suitable to race. BRILLIANT LIFE began very awkwardly, shifted out and bumped the hindquarters of GUNNISON, resulting in BRILLIANT LIFE losing ground. COLONEL and WE THE SOUTH were crowded for room on jumping between HEART CONQUERED which shifted in and KEEP YOU WARM which got its head on the side and shifted out. This resulted in COLONEL losing ground. From the outside barrier, NEVER TOO SOON was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Approaching the 900 Metres, PROPICE was eased away from the heels of FIRST RESPONDER which was racing tight inside the heels of WE THE SOUTH which got its head on the side and lay in away from HEART CONQUERED. Making the turn at the 600 Metres, PROPICE got its head on the side and shifted out and in doing so bumped the hindquarters of BRILLIANT LIFE, resulting in both horses becoming unbalanced. GUNNISON, which was following, was inconvenienced in consequence. At the entrance to the Straight, SUPER AXIOM and AMAZING ROCKY raced tight. After the 250 Metres, SUPER AXIOM was awkwardly placed outside the hindquarters of HEART CONQUERED which shifted out. Passing the 150 Metres, AMAZING ROCKY was hampered and shifted in away from the heels of HEART CONQUERED (K H Chan) which shifted in under pressure before being corrected by its rider. K H Chan was severely reprimanded and told to ensure that in future he reacts quicker to his mounts shifting ground than he did on this occasion. Passing the 50 Metres, NEVER TOO SOON, which was closing off the race strongly, momentarily raced in restricted room inside WE THE SOUTH which shifted in marginally before being corrected by its rider. Close to the finishing line, PROPICE was awkwardly placed inside the heels of FIRST RESPONDER. Throughout the race, SUPER AXIOM travelled wide and without cover. After the race, K Teetan stated that after obtaining a good position in the early stages behind the lead, AMAZING ROCKY, which was up in grade today, initially travelled satisfactorily, however, came under pressure prior to the Home Turn. He said after this AMAZING ROCKY stayed on satisfactorily in the early part of the Straight, however, gave ground over the concluding stages. A veterinary inspection of AMAZING ROCKY immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of BRILLIANT LIFE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. KEEP YOU WARM and FIRST RESPONDER were sent for sampling.