21/09/2022  Happy Valley  Race 6

GIFT OF LIFELINE shifted out at the start and bumped COPARTNER ELITES. INCANTO PREPARED was crowded for room on jumping between STORM LEGEND and THE ANOMALY which shifted out. After this, INCANTO PREPARED was shifted across behind runners to obtain cover. From the outside barrier, ROBOT WARRIOR was steadied in the early stages and shifted across behind runners. Passing the winning post on the first occasion, STORM LEGEND shifted in and brushed COPARTNER ELITES. In the early and middle stages, MY ECSTATIC travelled keenly in the lead and proved very difficult to settle. Near the 650 Metres, PACKING FAMOUS raced tight outside GIFT OF LIFELINE which attempted to shift out and improve into tight running between PACKING FAMOUS and MAJESTIC VICTORY. When PACKING FAMOUS maintained its position, GIFT OF LIFELINE was then awkwardly placed close to the heels of MAJESTIC VICTORY near the 550 Metres. Near the 450 Metres, INCANTO PREPARED and GIFT OF LIFELINE raced tight. Passing the 300 Metres, THE ANOMALY and STORM LEGEND raced tight. Approaching the 150 Metres, COPARTNER ELITES was shifted out away from the heels of MY ECSTATIC to continue improving. When questioned, M F Poon (PACKING FAMOUS) stated that he was instructed to sit in about 4th or 5th position if possible. He said he was told that if PACKING FAMOUS did not begin well as it has done at some of its races, he should not ride his mount along as PACKING FAMOUS has previously proved difficult to settle when ridden along in the early stages. He said PACKING FAMOUS did not begin as well tonight as it did last start and MAJESTIC VICTORY, which was drawn inside PACKING FAMOUS, showed more speed than PACKING FAMOUS in the early stages. He said he commenced to shift his mount across to obtain a position behind COPARTNER ELITES which was being hard ridden in the early stages and as he did this STORM LEGEND commenced to shift across in advance of PACKING FAMOUS with a view to clearing his mount. He said as he felt that he would have had to ride PACKING FAMOUS along to prevent STORM LEGEND from crossing and given his instructions, he allowed STORM LEGEND to cross PACKING FAMOUS and obtained a trailing position behind that horse which resulted in PACKING FAMOUS being ridden slightly further back in the field than had been intended. After the race, an endoscopic examination was conducted on PACKING FAMOUS at the request of Trainer C S Shum. The Veterinary Surgeon said this examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse’s trachea. Before being allowed to race again, PACKING FAMOUS will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of MY ECSTATIC and INCANTO PREPARED immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. STORM LEGEND, THE ANOMALY and PACKING FAMOUS were sent for sampling.