19/01/2022  Happy Valley  Race 3

On arrival at the Start, C Y Ho expressed concern regarding the action of TELECOM ROCKET. TELECOM ROCKET was examined by the Veterinary Officer and after the necessary consultations was passed suitable to race. A veterinary inspection of TELECOM ROCKET immediately following the race found that horse to have bled from both nostrils. PERFECT PEACH began only fairly and then shortly after the start was steadied away from the heels of CHARMING STEED which shifted out after being bumped by AQUILA. MASTER ALBERT shifted out at the start and hampered HARRIER JET. MASTER ALBERT was then steadied in the early stages to obtain cover. From wide barriers, QUORUM and STORMTROUPER were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. PERFECT PEACH (K Teetan), which was having its first start tonight, became unbalanced of its own accord near the 950 Metres. After the race, K Teetan stated that PERFECT PEACH then raced keenly for the remainder of the event. AQUILA travelled keenly in the lead in the middle stages and throughout the race was inclined to lay out. A Hamelin (WHAT A LEGEND) was spoken to regarding using the whip forward of the saddle on a number of occasions approaching and passing the 100 Metres when racing tight outside POISED TO STRIKE. Near the 25 Metres, V Borges (HARRIER JET) dropped his whip. Over the concluding stages, WHAT A LEGEND raced tight inside ICE LEGEND which got its head on the side and shifted in under pressure. Close to the finishing line, PERFECT PEACH was awkwardly placed inside the heels of AQUILA which shifted in away from POISED TO STRIKE. Because of this, PERFECT PEACH was not able to be ridden out all the way to the end of the race. After the race, M F Poon reported that QUORUM was making an abnormal breathing noise during the race. A veterinary inspection of QUORUM immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. When questioned, J Moreira (GREAT HARVEST) stated that he was instructed to attempt to obtain a position behind the leaders in the early stages if possible. He said it was felt that tonight’s race would be run at a good tempo and that a number of horses drawn inside GREAT TREASURE would likely be ridden to obtain forward positions. He said he was asked not to ride his mount along in the early stages as this may result in too much use having to be made of GREAT HARVEST to cross runners to its inside which would therefore not allow the horse the opportunity to finish the race off. He said after beginning well he steadied his mount in the early stages with a view to obtaining a position behind the speed. He said after shifting across to race behind CHARMING STEED shortly after the start when that horse was being ridden along, he was left racing outside ICE LEGEND which had two runners to its inside, in particular WHAT A LEGEND which he anticipated would be ridden to obtain a position behind the lead. He said as he was concerned that GREAT HARVEST would be left racing wide and possibly without cover, he elected to steady his mount further behind ICE LEGEND and then improved its position on the rail to follow TELECOM ROCKET which resulted in the horse having to race slightly further back in the field than had been anticipated. Mr K L Man, trainer of GREAT HARVEST, confirmed that he had asked J Moreira to attempt to obtain a trailing position behind the leaders if possible. He said although GREAT HARVEST had previously been ridden along in the early stages to obtain a forward position, on 20 October 2021, GREAT HARVEST did not finish the race off as well as anticipated and was found to have a substantial amount of blood in its trachea following the race after being ridden along in the early stages to obtain a forward position. He said as he was concerned that GREAT HARVEST may again not finish the race off if use were to be made of the horse in the early stages, he specifically instructed J Moreira not to ride his mount along in the early stages, however, he felt that GREAT HARVEST would have sufficient speed to take a trailing position behind the leaders. A veterinary inspection of GREAT HARVEST immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. ICE LEGEND and CHARMING STEED were sent for sampling.