11/03/2018  Shatin  Race 8

MULTI FACETS began only fairly. INFINITY ENDEAVOUR shifted out at the start and bumped BULB ELITE. ALL GREAT FRIENDS and CAPTAIN BOSS bumped shortly after the start, resulting in both horses becoming unbalanced. Near the 750 Metres, LUCKY DOLLAR and GO PUBLIC were crowded for room between HARMONY HERO and SUPER WISE which got its head on the side and lay out when awkwardly placed behind ORIONIDS. In this incident, HARMONY HERO became unbalanced when bumped on the hindquarters by GO PUBLIC. After this, LUCKY DOLLAR remained awkwardly placed outside the heels of SUPER WISE which continued to lay out when racing close to the heels of ORIONIDS. This resulted in LUCKY DOLLAR again becoming unbalanced approaching the 600 Metres and bumping the hindquarters of GO PUBLIC, resulting in LUCKY DOLLAR losing ground. INFINITY ENDEAVOUR, which was following LUCKY DOLLAR, was awkwardly placed behind that horse as a consequence. At the entrance to the Straight, INFINITY ENDEAVOUR was awkwardly placed inside the heels of CAPTAIN BOSS. Passing the 400 Metres, STAR SHINE was shifted to the outside of ORIONIDS in an attempt to obtain clear running. STAR SHINE was then held up for clear running when unable to improve between PRINCE HARMONY and ORIONIDS which drifted out. STAR SHINE was unable to obtain clear running until passing the 200 Metres at which stage the horse was directed back to the inside of ORIONIDS. Passing the 250 Metres, ALL GREAT FRIENDS was momentarily awkwardly placed inside the heels of HARMONY HERO. Passing the 200 Metres, C Y Ho (ALL GREAT FRIENDS) dropped his whip. Throughout the race, ALL GREAT FRIENDS travelled wide and without cover. When questioned, T Berry stated that he was instructed to ride HARMONY HERO in about a midfield position from barrier 10. He said it was explained to him that having regard to HARMONY HERO not having raced for some time, it was felt that if the horse had to give away too much start by being ridden from back in the field because of the awkward barrier, then this would impact on its ability to finish off the race strongly. He said it was also hoped that the race would be run at a good tempo and that HARMONY HERO would be able to obtain a position with cover in about midfield. He said after beginning fairly, HARMONY HERO was bumped by CAPTAIN BOSS shortly after the start. He said he rode his mount along after this in an endeavour to clear CAPTAIN BOSS to his inside and due to the circumstances of the race, with the tempo not being as strong as anticipated, HARMONY HERO was left racing very wide outside ALL GREAT FRIENDS after the 1000 Metres. He said he attempted to steady HARMONY HERO in an endeavour to obtain a trailing position behind that horse, however, other runners had already secured their positions inside HARMONY HERO and for this reason he was left racing four wide and without cover throughout the race. He added that considering the circumstances of the race, HARMONY HERO finished off the race very well. After the race, N Rawiller reported that the crowding experienced by LUCKY DOLLAR in the middle stages, in his opinion, was the reason for the horse’s failure to run on in the Straight. A veterinary inspection of LUCKY DOLLAR immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of mucus in the horse’s trachea. HARMONY HERO, SUPER WISE and STAR SHINE were sent for sampling.