01/02/2023  Happy Valley  Race 5

ABOVE ALL was withdrawn on 30.1.23 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (wound to left front leg) and was replaced by first Standby Declared Starter WOOD ON FIRE. PLENTY PLENTY was withdrawn on 31.1.23 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame left fore) and was replaced by second Standby Declared Starter TOP TOP TEA (R Maia). Before being allowed to race again, ABOVE ALL and PLENTY PLENTY will both be subjected to an official veterinary examination. HOSS, which was slow to begin, was then crowded for room on jumping between WOOD ON FIRE and KOKUSHI MUSOU, both of which shifted ground. HOSS was then shifted across behind runners in the early stages. On jumping, STOICISM was badly hampered when crowded by SOLAR PARTNER which shifted out abruptly despite the efforts of its rider. OUR CLASS ACT jumped awkwardly, shifted in and made contact with the inside of its barrier and lost ground. MR FUN and TOP TOP TEA bumped at the start. In the early stages, WOOD ON FIRE was inclined to lay in. Approaching the 600 Metres, OVERSUBSCRIBED and STOICISM bumped as STOICISM endeavoured to obtain a position with cover behind WOOD ON FIRE. Making the Home Turn, OVERSUBSCRIBED, which was inclined to lay out, shifted out and brushed STOICISM. Over the concluding stages, HOSS improved into a narrow run to the inside of SOLAR PARTNER and brushed that runner. KOKUSHI MUSOU raced wide and without cover for the majority of the event. When questioned, H Bowman stated that he was instructed tonight to obtain cover on MR FUN as it had raced too keenly at its last start and was left without a finishing effort. He said, from barrier 4, he immediately took cover behind the leaders, however, MR FUN again travelled keenly throughout the early and middle stages. He said from the 600 Metres, when placed under pressure, MR FUN raced greenly, resented racing inside horses and gave ground under pressure in the Straight. Trainer C S Shum confirmed the instructions issued to Jockey Bowman and indicated that he would give a freshen-up to the horse and experiment with its gear before its next race start. A veterinary inspection of MR FUN immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. The performance of MR FUN was considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, MR FUN will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of OVERSUBSCRIBED immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. HOSS and SOLAR PARTNER were sent for sampling.