09/02/2022  Happy Valley  Race 8

VENTO was withdrawn on 8.2.22 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (heart irregularity) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter NOBLE BOYZ (D Moor). Before being allowed to race again, VENTO will be required to perform satisfactorily in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. PERFECT PEACH shifted out at the start and was awkwardly placed close to the heels of HAPPILY FRIENDS. MASTER ALBERT shifted out at the start and brushed JAZZ STEED. From wide barriers, NICHOLSON RETURNS and KING’S TROOPER, which bounded in the air at the start and began awkwardly, were hampered by DASSIT which got its head on the side and shifted out. After this, DASSIT, NICHOLSON RETURNS and KING’S TROOPER were all shifted across behind runners to obtain cover. NOBLE BOYZ was also steadied in the early stages to obtain a position closer to the rail. PERFECT PEACH made the turn approaching the 1000 Metres awkwardly. Passing the 50 Metres, PERFECT PEACH shifted out and brushed HAPPILY FRIENDS. Close to the finishing line, NOBLE BOYZ was awkwardly placed outside the heels of DASSIT. When questioned, H Bentley stated that, from the outside barrier, he was instructed to ride LUCKY ARCHANGEL positively in the early stages and obtain a forward position if possible. He said just prior to the start being effected LUCKY ARCHANGEL became fractious and lunged at the front gates which resulted in the horse then being slow to begin when the gates opened. He said due to the ground that LUCKY ARCHANGEL lost at the start, he elected to shift his mount across behind runners as he felt that making use of LUCKY ARCHANGEL to obtain a forward position would result in the horse not being able to finish the race off. When questioned, K C Leung stated that he was instructed to ride FLYING DRAGON in about a midfield position with cover if possible. He said as JAZZ STEED was drawn immediately to the inside of FLYING DRAGON, he was asked to try and position his mount behind that horse in the early stages. He said FLYING DRAGON began well and he immediately steadied his mount with a view to obtaining a trailing position. He said however that FLYING DRAGON travelled strongly in the early stages and when JAZZ STEED was steadied to obtain cover behind MASTER ALBERT, he was not able to steady his mount sufficiently to obtain a position behind that horse. He said after the 1100 Metres FLYING DRAGON was racing in a three wide position and as it was not possible for him to obtain cover at this time and given that FLYING DRAGON was travelling strongly, he then allowed his mount to improve its position forward of HAPPILY FRIENDS after the 900 Metres. He added that when improving his position along the Back Straight, FLYING DRAGON lay out and was reluctant to shift across to race outside the leader of the race, REGENCY STAR. He said FLYING DRAGON continued to lay out and made the Home Turn awkwardly and that after being placed under pressure in the Straight FLYING DRAGON weakened out of the race over the concluding stages which he attributed to the horse being ridden in a forward position and then laying out in the middle stages. A veterinary inspection of FLYING DRAGON and LUCKY ARCHANGEL immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. JOYFUL MOOD, REGENCY STAR and PERFECT PEACH were sent for sampling.