04/12/2013  Happy Valley  Race 6

MASTER GUNNER was slow to begin. EXPECTATOR and UWILLBEGLORIOUS bumped at the start. After the 1100 Metres, HO WONGCHOY commenced to prove very difficult to settle and got its head up on a number of occasions when being checked away from the heels of REAL GENERAL. In this incident, HO WONGCHOY and SPEEDYGONZALEZ, which was racing to the outside of HO WONGCHOY, made contact on a number of occasions. Approaching and passing the 900 Metres, HO WONGCHOY again proved very difficult to settle and got its head up on a number of occasions when being checked away from the heels of UWILLBEGLORIOUS. Then near the 850 Metre, HO WONGCHOY shifted out across the heels of SPEEDYGONZALEZ when continuing to prove difficult to settle, resulting in PERFECT MOMENT being taken wider. For some distance after this, HO WONGCHOY was checked away from the heels of SPEEDYGONZALEZ. Approaching the 400 Metres, HOLY MAC was steadied when disappointed for running between EXPECTATOR and UWILLBEGLORIOUS. Near the 250 Metres, PERFECT MOMENT was crowded for room between MASTER GUNNER and TWIN TURBO, both of which shifted ground. Approaching the 100 Metres, MASTER GUNNER was checked away from the heels of HO WONGCHOY which was weakening. For the majority of the race, SPEEDYGONZALEZ travelled wide and without cover. When questioned, M Demuro stated that he had been instructed to ride PERFECT MOMENT in a forward position if possible from the outside barrier. He said in the early stages he urged PERFECT MOMENT to go forward, however, in his opinion, the horse did not show enough early speed to indicate that it would be able to cross runners to its inside without considerable use having to be made of it. He said had he pursued in a forward position as instructed, PERFECT MOMENT would have been left very wide and would not have been able to finish off its race. He said therefore he elected, a short distance after the start, to shift PERFECT MOMENT across behind runners in order to save ground. Mr W Y So, the trainer of PERFECT MOMENT, confirmed that he had instructed Jockey Demuro to lead on PERFECT MOMENT if possible. He said he had hoped that PERFECT MOMENT would show sufficient speed to cross runners to its inside and race in a forward position outside FLYING CHAPARRAL which he anticipated would lead. After the race, an endoscopic examination was conducted on UWILLBEGLORIOUS at the request of Trainer A T Millard. The Veterinary Surgeon said this examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea. Before being allowed to race again, UWILLBEGLORIOUS will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of PERFECT MOMENT immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. FLYING CHAPARRAL and EXPECTATOR were sent for sampling.