18/12/2022  Shatin  Race 10

Whilst in the saddling stalls, PEGASUS HERO required farrier attention to both front plates. PEGASUS HERO was examined by the Veterinary Officer and found to be suitable to race. On arrival at the Start, the tongue tie applied to KILINDINI was refitted. STUNNING IMPACT and ACCELERANDO bumped at the start. RUNNING AHEAD got its head up on jumping and then was bumped and taken out by WORLD FAMOUS, resulting in RUNNING AHEAD bumping ATOMIC BEAUTY which in turn shifted out, resulting in HAPPY DAILY being crowded for room inside NEVER TOO SOON. From the outside barriers, SATIRICAL GLORY and HAPPY TOGETHER were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. SATIRICAL GLORY travelled keenly approaching and passing the 1400 Metres and approaching the 1200 Metres momentarily raced in restricted room inside ATOMIC BEAUTY. At the 1300 Metres, RUNNING AHEAD got its head up when being checked away from the heels of HAPPY DAY. After the 1000 Metres, KILINDINI was left racing wide and without cover. HAPPY DAILY had some difficulty obtaining clear running in the early part of the Straight. When questioned, H Bowman (NEVER TOO SOON) stated that approaching the 900 Metres he was travelling in a good position behind the favourite ACCELERANDO and he intended to maintain this position and allow ACCELERANDO to take him into the race rounding the Home Turn. He said near the 850 Metres ACCELERANDO appeared to lose ground ahead of NEVER TOO SOON and when he steadied his mount away from the heels of ACCELERANDO, NEVER TOO SOON, which was travelling strongly, shifted out into a position wide and without cover. He said he felt that he would have had to heavily restrain NEVER TOO SOON in an endeavour to resume his position behind ACCELERANDO and therefore he allowed his mount to improve around ACCELERANDO. He said when he did this ACCELERANDO shifted out from behind KILINDINI which resulted in NEVER TOO SOON being taken very wide and without cover passing the 700 Metres. He added that NEVER TOO SOON then gave ground in the early part of the Straight. A veterinary inspection of NEVER TOO SOON immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. When questioned, Z Purton stated that ACCELERANDO got its head up on a number of occasions approaching and passing the 1400 Metres when being steadied to obtain cover behind KILINDINI. He said ACCELERANDO continued to travel keenly and again got its head up near the 1300 Metres. He said he was able to shift ACCELERANDO in behind KILINDINI passing the 1200 Metres and the horse relaxed and travelled better. He said however that after the 900 Metres ACCELERANDO again got its head up when racing close to the heels of KILINDINI. He added that he was comfortable to remain racing behind KILINDINI, however, when NEVER TOO SOON commenced to improve its position around ACCELERANDO approaching the 700 Metres, he elected to shift out and improve around KILINDINI rather than be caught behind that horse when NEVER TOO SOON improved its position. He said this resulted in ACCELERANDO having to race wide and without cover rounding the Home Turn. He added that he placed ACCELERANDO under pressure passing the 400 Metres and whilst the horse stayed on satisfactorily in the early part of the Straight, it came under pressure over the concluding stages and then did not close the race off. A veterinary inspection of ACCELERANDO immediately following the race found that horse to be lame in its left front leg. Before being allowed to race again, ACCELERANDO will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. ACCELERANDO, MASSIVE ACTION and HAPPY DAY were sent for sampling.