02/03/2022  Happy Valley  Race 3

VIVA HUNTER, which was fractious in the barriers, shifted out on jumping and bumped the hindquarters of SUPER TEN, resulting in both horses becoming unbalanced. HELENE WISDOM STAR shifted out at the start and bumped TRUE LEGEND which became unbalanced. A short distance after the start, HELENE WISDOM STAR and ROYAL BOMB bumped. Passing the 1600 Metres, VIVA HUNTER and LEAP OF FAITH brushed. Passing the 250 Metres, LEAP OF FAITH was steadied when crowded for room between ROYAL BOMB and TOTAL POWER (C L Chau) which shifted out. C L Chau was reprimanded and told that he should have made more of an effort than he did on this occasion to straighten his mount. After the race, Z Purton stated that from the outside barrier he had to make too much use of TRUE LEGEND to cross runners to its inside to obtain a forward position on the rail. He said, in his opinion, this accounted for the horse’s failure to finish the race off over the concluding stages. A veterinary inspection of TRUE LEGEND immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. When questioned, V Borges stated that he was instructed to ride LEAP OF FAITH where it was comfortable tonight and it was expected that from the inside barrier this would be in about 4th or 5th position. He said he rode his mount along for some distance in the early stages to obtain as forward a position as possible, however, as the tempo of the race was quite strong, this resulted in LEAP OF FAITH racing in about a midfield position. He said the tempo of the race after the 1300 Metres remained strong and he believed that he would have had to his mount along to obtain closer order behind VIVA HUNTER and WORLD FAMOUS which were racing in advance of LEAP OF FAITH which at this time were racing outside TOTAL POWER. He said whilst the tempo of the race slackened somewhat after the 1200 Metres, it remained good and he believed that he would have had to ride his mount along after the 1000 Metres in order to improve his position. He added that although a significant gap opened up between LEAP OF FAITH and TOTAL POWER and VIVA HUNTER and WORLD FAMOUS in advance, LEAP OF FAITH was travelling strongly and he was confident that he would be able to improve his position after the 700 Metres to take closer order of the leaders. He said near the 500 Metres he had improved to be racing behind VIVA HUNTER, however, when placed under heavy pressure rounding the Home Turn, LEAP OF FAITH did not respond to his riding and whilst crowded for room near the 250 Metres was disappointing in the manner in which it finished the race off tonight. A veterinary inspection of LEAP OF FAITH immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. ZONE D and VIVA HUNTER were sent for sampling.