21/09/2011  Happy Valley  Race 1

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI began awkwardly. VICTORIA SMILE and BULB TREASURE bumped at the start. MACASSAR stood flat-footed at the start and lost a considerable amount of ground. Before being allowed to race again, MACASSAR will be required to perform satisfactorily in an official barrier trial. SUNSHINE BOY was very slow to begin. Before being allowed to race again, SUNSHINE BOY will be required to perform satisfactorily in an official barrier trial. Approaching and passing the winning post on the first occasion, BINGO KEY raced tight inside HEALTHY CONTENDER (B Doyle) which shifted in. B Doyle was reprimanded and advised to ensure that he leaves sufficient racing room for runners to his inside in future. Making the turn after the 600 Metres, HEALTHY CONTENDER got its head on the side, lay in and bumped REAL DRAGON. Shortly after entering into the Home Straight, SUNNY SKY got its head on the side, shifted in and bumped SUPER PEPPER. Near the 150 Metres, MACASSAR was steadied when disappointed for running between WINNING MASCOT which was giving ground and SUPER PEPPER which was taken in by SUNNY SKY which again got its head on the side and shifted in. When questioned, Y T Cheng (GRANDWAY FLYER) stated that on entering the Back Straight the tempo of the race appeared to him to slow appreciably. He said for this reason he shifted out from behind BULB TREASURE in an attempt to obtain a more forward position which he hoped to be outside of the leader, WINNING MASCOT. He said however that when he improved his position, BULB TREASURE was also ridden along to go forward and because of this he was not able to cross that horse. He added that after this GRANDWAY FLYER was obliged to race three wide and without cover. When questioned regarding the performance of WINNING MASCOT, Apprentice K C Ng stated that from the outside barrier he had been instructed to ride the horse into a forward position. He said he had to make use of the horse in the early stages to cross runners to his inside and it was not until after the 1200 Metres that he was able to cross to the fence in the lead. He said after this WINNING MASCOT took some time to settle and it was not until near the 900 Metres that the horse began to travel kindly for him. He added that when BULB TREASURE and GRANDWAY FLYER improved their positions after the 700 Metres to be racing to the outside of WINNING MASCOT, he was obliged to maintain his position to the inside of those horses which did not afford WINNING MASCOT the opportunity to relax. He said because of the use that had to be made of WINNING MASCOT and the manner in which it did not settle for him as he would have liked, they were the principal reasons for the horse not being able to finish off the race. A veterinary inspection of WINNING MASCOT and MACASSAR after the race did not show any significant findings. WINNING MASCOT, REAL DRAGON and GRANDWAY FLYER were sent for sampling.