05/02/2020  Happy Valley  Race 2

HAPPY GOOD GUYS and EVERBRAVE began only fairly. LOOK ERAS began awkwardly, resulting in its rider, Apprentice K H Chan, becoming badly unbalanced. In this incident, LOOK ERAS shifted out and bumped MR WISEGUY. HAPPY WINNER and DECISION ACTION were crowded for room on jumping between DR PROACTIVE and WINNING WAYS which got its head on the side and shifted out. After this, HAPPY WINNER and DECISIVE ACTION were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. From the outside barriers, OVERSUBSCRIBED and SHANGHAI MASTER were shifted across behind runners in the early stages to obtain cover. After travelling a short distance, EVERBRAVE shifted out away from GOUTEN OF GARO and bumped TRAVEL DATUK. Approaching the 700 Metres, EVERBRAVE was awkwardly placed outside the heels of GOUTEN OF GARO when being steadied to obtain cover behind that horse. MR WISEGUY, which was following and travelling keenly, was awkwardly placed close to the heels of EVERBRAVE in consequence. Passing the 600 Metres, EVERBRAVE lay in, resulting in TRAVEL DATUK being crowded for room. Then making the turn after the 600 Metres, EVERBRAVE got its head on the side and shifted out across the heels of WINNING WAYS, resulting in EVERBRAVE being checked and losing ground. DR PROACTIVE, which was racing outside EVERBRAVE, was hampered in consequence. Passing the 400 Metres, HAPPY WINNER raced tight inside MR WISEGUY which raced tight inside EVERBRAVE as that horse raced close to the heels of WINNING WAYS. When questioned regarding his riding of DECISIVE ACTION, particularly in the Home Straight, H W Lai stated that as DECISIVE ACTION was having its first race start at Happy Valley tonight and had not barrier trialed here previously, he was asked to shift the horse across behind runners from barrier 9 and improve his position towards the inside as much as possible before shifting his mount out into clear running in the Straight to finish off the race. He said in accordance with his instructions he shifted DECISIVE ACTION across behind runners and followed HAPPY WINNER throughout the middle stages. He said he continued to follow HAPPY WINNER after the 500 Metres as he was racing inside the heels of OVERSUBSCRIBED and rounding the Home Turn he shifted to the outside of HAPPY WINNER as OVERSUBSCRIBED was shifted out. He said in the early part of the Straight DECISIVE ACTION hung in which made it difficult for him to improve his position into running which was available directly ahead of DECISIVE ACTION. He said when EVERBRAVE shifted in approaching the 200 Metres, he directed DECISIVE ACTION to the outside of that horse and commenced to ride his mount along. He said DECISIVE ACTION then got its head on the side and lay out towards the heels of SHANGHAI MASTER which resulted in him having to correct DECISIVE ACTION. He said he then rode his mount out over the concluding stages once obtaining clear running to the inside of SHANGHAI MASTER. Mr C H Yip, the trainer of DECISIVE ACTION, confirmed the instructions given to Jockey Lai and stated that he stressed on Jockey Lai to improve his position as much as possible prior to the Home Turn when racing close to the rail and then to ensure that DECISIVE ACTION was fully tested in the Straight. H W Lai was told that his riding of DECISIVE ACTION in the Straight had come under notice and had come close to breaching a significant Rule of Racing. He was severely reprimanded and told that he must ride his mounts out to the best of his ability to ensure that his riding is not open to query. Mr Yip was told that this was the second occasion in the last three racemeetings that riders of horses trained by him had been questioned regarding their handling of those horses. He was further told to ensure that he provides positive instructions and that horses are at all times ridden to obtain the best possible placing. A veterinary inspection of DR PROACTIVE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. HAPPY GOOD GUYS, WINNING WAYS and TRAVEL DATUK were sent for sampling.