17/03/2010  Happy Valley  Race 1

BRAVO HORSE was slow to begin. Approaching the 500 Metres, SAMMY’S FORTUNE was steadied when attempting to improve between SAMBUOYANT and DRAGON BOY where there was insufficient room. Over the final 100 Metres, LIGHTNING MOUNT (A Suborics) shifted in under pressure. A Suborics was warned against the practice of allowing his mounts to shift ground in races. When questioned, J Lloyd (DRAGON BOY) advised that he had been instructed to ride the horse in a midfield position with cover if possible. He said it was felt that there were a number of horses in the race that would take up forward positions and it was hoped that DRAGON BOY would be able to obtain a position with cover. He said in the early stages he attempted to obtain a position behind OCTAGONAL CANYON, however, he was unable to do so due to other runners being positioned to his inside. He said he did consider allowing DRAGON BOY to stride forward as he had done previously, however, he believed that the pace of the race at this time was “genuine”, therefore he did not believe that DRAGON BOY would be able to go forward without considerable use having to be made of the horse. He said however that had the tempo of the race slowed sufficiently, he would have allowed DRAGON BOY to stride forward as the horse had previously been successful when ridden in this manner. He said for this reason DRAGON BOY was obliged to race wide and without cover throughout. Trainer D E Ferraris stated that with DRAGON BOY stepping up in distance to 1800 Metres, he wanted the horse ridden with cover and it was thought that this would be in a position around midfield. He said that he specifically instructed J Lloyd not to make a mid-race move on DRAGON BOY as he had done in the past as he had been somewhat disappointed with the horse’s most recent run when this tactic was employed. J Lloyd was told that, in the opinion of the Stewards, he should have made a far greater effort to obtain a position behind OCTAGONAL CANYON in the early stages which would have provided DRAGON BOY with cover. When questioned, O Doleuze stated that from barrier 12, SAMMY’S FORTUNE was obliged to race back in the field tonight. He said he had hoped to make his run to the outside of horses approaching the Home Turn, however, DRAGON BOY, which had been wide and without cover throughout, was racing to his outside and he was reluctant to shift to that horse’s outside prior to straightening. He said for this reason he elected to shift SAMMY’S FORTUNE in near the 400 Metres, however, when placed under pressure SAMMY’S FORTUNE did not respond to his riding as he hoped. He said whilst SAMMY’S FORTUNE was disappointing, he believed the circumstances of the race had led, in some part, to the horse’s performance. A veterinary inspection of SAMMY’S FORTUNE after the race did not show any significant findings. BRAVO HORSE, HEALTHY CONTENDER and LIGHTNING MOUNT were sent for sampling.