03/03/2021  Happy Valley  Race 5

ALLEZ and BOND A STAR bumped at the start, resulting in BOND A STAR becoming unbalanced, shifting out and inconveniencing SUPERB DADDY which then shifted out and bumped the hindquarters of STREET SCREAM. SHINING ON began awkwardly and then was bumped by FORTUNE HERO which shifted out. This resulted in SHINING ON bumping HURRY HURRY GAIN. When being steadied from a wide barrier to obtain cover, HAPPY RUBY got its head up on a number of occasions in the early stages. From the outside barrier, RUBY STARS was steadied to obtain cover shortly after the start. BOND A STAR made the turn near the 1000 Metres awkwardly and lay out. After this, BOND A STAR continued to lay out when over-racing. BOND A STAR lay out again making the turn near the 550 Metres. Making the turn after the 1000 Metres, RUBY STARS, which was racing wide, got its head on the side and lay out. Passing the 800 Metres, SHINING ON was awkwardly placed outside the heels of STREET SCREAM which shifted out marginally. When questioned, M F Poon (STREET SCREAM) stated that when ridden conservatively by him from a wide barrier two starts ago, STREET SCREAM had travelled well and finished off the race. He said therefore tonight he was asked from a more favourable barrier not to ride his mount along in the early stages and to obtain a position where the horse was comfortable. He said it was anticipated that this would be in about a midfield position. He said after shifting STREET SCREAM across to race behind BOND A STAR in the early stages, STREET SCREAM did not travel well and was inclined to lay in in the middle stages. He said STREET SCREAM got further out of its ground than he anticipated and therefore after the 900 Metres he commenced to push his mount along in an endeavour to follow BOND A STAR. He said STREET SCREAM did not respond to his riding which resulted in RUBY STARS being able to shift in front of STREET SCREAM after the 700 Metres. He added STREET SCREAM continued to travel only fairly and then when shifted to the outside of runners at the entrance to the Straight lay in which resulted in him changing his whip over into his right hand. He said when he changed his whip over, he dropped his right rein which took him some time to regather during which time STREET SCREAM continued to lay in. Mr D J Hall, trainer of STREET SCREAM, stated that he was disappointed with the manner in which STREET SCREAM finished its most recent start off when the horse was ridden along out of the barriers to obtain a more forward position. He said as he was satisfied with the manner in which the horse finished off the race at a start before its most recent race, he asked Jockey Poon not to ride STREET SCREAM along in the early stages, but he felt that the horse would have sufficient natural early speed to obtain a midfield position. He said he was disappointed that STREET SCREAM got as far out of its ground as it did as he felt that the horse would have been able to obtain about a midfield position. A veterinary inspection of STREET SCREAM immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of KING’S TROOPER immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. SUPERB DADDY, HURRY HURRY GAIN and SPRINT FORWARD were sent for sampling.