23/02/2022  Happy Valley  Race 8

SETANTA began only fairly. EVERYONE’S DELIGHT shifted out at the start and bumped SAVAQUIN which was crowded for room and taken out onto SUNNY STAR which shifted out and bumped IGNITING. TSAR shifted out on jumping and bumped BEAUTY JOY which in turn shifted out and bumped the hindquarters of ROMAN TURBO. After this, ROMAN TURBO and CHEERFUL DAYS, from wide barriers, were shifted across behind runners. When being shifted across behind runners, CHEERFUL DAYS shifted in and bumped ROMAN TURBO passing the 1600 Metres. BUDDIES stumbled at the start and subsequently travelled wide and without cover throughout the race. Passing the 1400 Metres, TSAR was awkwardly placed behind EVERYONE’S DELIGHT. After this, TSAR continued to travel keenly and was awkwardly placed behind EVERYONE’S DELIGHT which itself was travelling keenly behind IGNITING. EVERYONE’S DELIGHT made the Home Turn awkwardly and shifted out. At the entrance to the Straight, SOLAR WAI WAI was shifted out away from the heels of SUNNY STAR which improved to the outside of BUDDIES as that horse commenced to give ground. When questioned, Z Purton stated that he was not given any specific instructions on how to ride BEAUTY JOY other than to position the horse with cover. He said it was felt that there was good speed engaged in tonight’s race and therefore, from barrier 9, it was expected that BEAUTY JOY would not race in a forward position. He said after being bumped on jumping, he shifted BEAUTY JOY across behind runners to obtain cover and this resulted in the horse being positioned towards the rear of the field. He said BEAUTY JOY travelled keenly in the middle stages and got its head up on a number of occasions between the 1100 Metres and the 700 Metres at which time he directed the horse in away from the heels of TSAR. He stated that after the 500 Metres he shifted BEAUTY JOY away from the rail to follow TSAR with a view to following that horse rounding the Home Turn and shifting to its outside to obtain clear running as he believed that BEAUTY JOY would be better served making its finishing run away from the rail. He said when he shifted BEAUTY JOY out, TSAR did not improve its position as he had hoped and when BUDDIES, which was racing to the outside of TSAR, maintained its position, this resulted in him being momentarily awkwardly placed behind TSAR. He said at this time CHEERFUL DAYS was able to improve its position to be racing inside the heels of BEAUTY JOY. He said passing the 400 Metres he was able to shift in away from the heels of TSAR and immediately commenced to ride his mount along and then had clear running in the Straight. He added that whilst BEAUTY JOY finished the race off satisfactorily, he did not believe that it found the line as strongly as it had recently which he attributed to the horse proving difficult to settle in the middle stages. A veterinary inspection of TSAR immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea. Before being allowed to race again, TSAR will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of SETANTA immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. BEAUTY JOY, CHEERFUL DAYS and TELECOM FIGHTERS were sent for sampling.