06/02/2022  Happy Valley  Race 2

At declaration time, C Y Ho was declared as the rider of both DECISIVE TWELVE and ROYAL BOMB. It was established that C Y Ho had a firm commitment to ride DECISIVE TWELVE. As such, the Stewards permitted D Moor to be substituted as the rider of ROYAL BOMB. For this declaration error, C Y Ho was fined $2,000. FAULDS began only fairly and then was bumped by ROYAL BOMB which shifted in after being bumped by STORM WARNINGS. After this, STORM WARNINGS was steadied to obtain cover from an outside barrier. SEIZING THE MOMENT lost ground when crowded for room on jumping between RACING FIGHTER and HIGH RISE SOLDIER which shifted out. Approaching the 900 Metres, RUN RUN COOL was awkwardly placed inside the heels of WAR OF COURAGE when being crossed by that horse. DECISIVE TWELVE travelled wide and without cover until passing the 600 Metres at which point FAULDS was left racing wide and without cover. Making the turn near the 500 Metres, RACING FIGHTER got its head on the side and lay out towards the heels of ROYAL BOMB. Near the 450 Metres, WOOD ON FIRE raced tight outside HIGH RISE SOLDIER which improved to the outside of WAR OF COURAGE. Rounding the Home Turn, FAULDS was bumped and taken wider by RUN RUN COOL which shifted out away from the heels of WOOD ON FIRE after having difficulty obtaining clear running. Also rounding the Home Turn, SEIZING THE MOMENT was steadied away from the heels of HIGH RISE SOLDIER when unable to improve. At the entrance to the Straight, WOOD ON FIRE was bumped by HIGH RISE SOLDIER which shifted to the outside of DECISIVE TWELVE to obtain clear running. After the 300 Metres, SEIZING THE MOMENT was shifted in away from the heels of WOOD ON FIRE to continue improving. Approaching the 100 Metres, SEIZING THE MOMENT and RUN RUN COOL raced tight as SEIZING THE MOMENT improved into tight running between RUN RUN COOL and HIGH RISE SOLDIER. Close to the finishing line, STORM WARNINGS was awkwardly placed behind DECISIVE TWELVE. When questioned, K C Leung stated that he was instructed to ride WOOD ON FIRE in about a midfield position if possible. He said after beginning well, he immediately steadied his mount with a view to obtaining a position behind WAR OF COURAGE. He said as there were a number of horses positioned to the inside of WAR OF COURAGE which appeared as though they were going to take up positions in midfield or in advance of midfield, he felt that WOOD ON FIRE may have been left racing wide if he continued to steady his mount in an attempt to obtain a midfield position. He said as the tempo of the race in the early stages was not strong, he elected, rather than to continue to steady his mount, to ride WOOD ON FIRE along and clear runners to the inside which resulted in WOOD ON FIRE being ridden in a forward position today. A veterinary inspection of WOOD ON FIRE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of FAULDS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. SEIZING THE MOMENT, HIGH RISE SOLDIER and DECISIVE TWELVE were sent for sampling.