20/10/2010  Happy Valley  Race 4

GO STITCH began awkwardly. FUN AND FAST was slow to begin. At the start, HEADSIWIN and DAILY DOUBLE made heavy contact. Shortly after the start, LUCKY TYCOON raced in restricted room between BRILLIANT ONE which shifted in and FERRABOSCO which shifted out and away from the heels of FLASHING GUY. After this, LUCKY TYCOON was taken across behind runners. When being steadied rounding the first turn, FLASHING GUY got its head up and proved difficult to settle. Near the 900 Metres, after being crossed by EAST OCEAN when shifted in when barely clear, HEADSIWIN proved very difficult to settle and got its head up on a number of occasions when awkwardly placed close to the heels of EAST OCEAN. After the 900 Metres, DAILY DOUBLE was left racing wide and without cover. For some distance near the 150 Metres, HEADSIWIN was awkwardly placed inside DAILY DOUBLE and behind EAST OCEAN. Passing the 150 Metres, FERRABOSCO was shifted out away from the heels of SAME SAME which was commencing to give ground. After this, FERRABOSCO was not able to obtain clear running and consequently was not properly tested. When questioned, Apprentice T H So (LUCKY TYCOON) stated that passing the 900 Metres his mount travelled keenly when racing behind BRILLIANT ONE. He said when that horse shifted in to a two wide position near the 800 Metres, he elected to remain racing behind that horse rather than allow his mount to improve and race three wide behind DAILY DOUBLE. He said he felt that LUCKY TYCOON’s interests were best served by saving ground at this time of the race rather than racing wide. He said he shifted LUCKY TYCOON out from behind BRILLIANT ONE approaching the 500 Metres and commenced to improve his position. He said in the early part of the Straight LUCKY TYCOON responded well when ridden hands and heels and for this reason he did not immediately use the whip on the horse. He said that passing the 200 Metres he commenced to use the whip on the horse and LUCKY TYCOON finished off the race well. When questioned regarding the performance of ASIAN CITRUS, W C Marwing said that he had not ridden the horse in track work in the lead up to tonight’s race. He said that from the inside barrier ASIAN CITRUS was able to take up a good position and after travelling well throughout the race was most disappointing in its failure to respond to his riding in the Straight. Trainer D E Ferraris said that ASIAN CITRUS had pleased him in its work since its most recent run and he expected the horse to run well tonight. He said he was not able to offer any explanation for the horse’s disappointing performance. A veterinary inspection of ASIAN CITRUS after the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea. Before being allowed to race again, ASIAN CITRUS will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of SAME SAME after the race did not show any significant findings. ASIAN CITRUS, EAST OCEAN and FLASHING GUY were sent for sampling.