25/05/2022  Happy Valley  Race 2

GREAT TIMES was withdrawn on 24.5.22 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame left hind) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter ORIENTAL AMIGO (H T Mo). Before being allowed to race again, GREAT TIMES will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. DIAMOND STAR was slow to begin. WAH MAY LUCK, which was leaning on the outside of its stall as the start was effected, began awkwardly. From wide barriers, A A AGILITY, SUCCESS ALLSTARS and SMART COUSIN were all shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Approaching the winning post on the first occasion, FOXHUNTER WAY and LOYAL AMBITION raced tight. Passing the 550 Metres, DIAMOND STAR was awkwardly placed behind LOYAL AMBITION. Approaching the 400 Metres, FOXHUNTER WAY was awkwardly placed outside the heels of GRAND POWER which improved to the outside of INCREDIBLE. After this, INCREDIBLE gave ground and finished tailed out. A veterinary inspection of INCREDIBLE immediately following the race found that horse to be a "roarer” which had previously been reported. The performance of INCREDIBLE was considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, INCREDIBLE will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. At the 300 Metres, FOXHUNTER WAY got its head on the side and lay in towards the heels of LOYAL AMBITION which also shifted out marginally. Near the 75 Metres, PRIME STAR was directed in away from the heels of SMART COUSIN which shifted in under pressure. Over the concluding stages, A A AGILITY was held up behind LOYAL AMBITION and ORIENTAL AMIGO which was giving ground. When questioned regarding the performance of FOXHUNTER WAY, Z Purton stated that it was intended for the horse to be ridden where it was comfortable tonight. He said in the early stages he anticipated that he would follow LOYAL AMBITION across to obtain a position closer to the rail, however, when LOYAL AMBITION was steadied to obtain a trailing position behind ORIENTAL AMIGO, this resulted in FOXHUNTER WAY being left racing wide and without cover after the 1300 Metres. He said although FOXHUNTER WAY was down in grade tonight, when carrying top weight and required to race wide and without cover, the horse was then not able to finish the race off over the latter stages. A veterinary inspection of FOXHUNTER WAY immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. When questioned, J Moreira stated that it was anticipated that LOYAL AMBITION would be able to obtain a forward position behind the leaders. He said in the early stages ORIENTAL AMIGO was being aggressively ridden to obtain a forward position and as he believed that he would have had to ride LOYAL AMBITION along to clear that horse given the manner in which it was being ridden, he considered that it was in the best interests of LOYAL AMBITION to obtain a trailing position behind that horse which he anticipated may remain racing away from the rail outside OWNERS’ STAR. He said when ORIENTAL AMIGO continued to be ridden forward and was able to cross OWNERS’ STAR after the 1400 Metres and race on the rail, this resulted in GRAND POWER being able to clear LOYAL AMBITION and race in front of his mount which resulted in LOYAL AMBITION racing slightly further back in the field than had been anticipated. He added that nonetheless LOYAL AMBITION raced very disappointingly tonight in that the horse did not travel strongly at any stage and after coming under heavy pressure prior to the 400 Metres then did not finish the race off. A veterinary inspection of LOYAL AMBITION immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. A veterinary inspection of SUCCESS ALLSTARS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. LOYAL AMBITION, GRAND POWER and WAH MAY LUCK were sent for sampling.