26/04/2023  Happy Valley  Race 4

INVINCIBLE MISSILE shifted out at the start and made contact with STARSHIP EIGHTY and then shortly after INVINCIBLE MISSILE raced tight to the outside of V CHEVALIERS which shifted out. FLASH FAMOUS and KYRUS UNICORN bumped at the start. From a wide barrier, ROMANTIC LAOS was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. From the outside barriers, WIN WIN FIGHTER and LIFELINE VISION were also shifted across behind runners in the early stages. In the early stages, KYRUS UNICORN raced keenly when endeavouring to shift in to obtain cover. KYRUS UNICORN then continued to race keenly in the middle stages. V CHEVALIERS raced wide and without cover from the 800 Metres. When questioned regarding his riding of ROMANTIC LAOS, Z Purton stated that after following KYRUS UNICORN in the run and KYRUS UNICORN shifted out making the Home Turn, he elected to improve to that runner’s inside. He added that on straightening he then became held up for a short distance behind RIGHT HONOURABLE and to the inside of KYRUS UNICORN, however, when being shifted to the outside of RIGHT HONOURABLE, ROMANTIC LAOS took some time to respond to his riding and as a result he elected to pull the whip through near the 250 Metres to his right hand to encourage ROMANTIC LAOS to improve. He added that when gathering his right rein near the 175 Metres, he momentarily dropped it before quickly regathering and being able to place ROMANTIC LAOS under full pressure inside the 150 Metres whereby his mount ran on strongly. The Stewards found the tactics adopted by Z Purton were reasonable in the circumstances. A veterinary inspection of GANG OF BROTHERS and V CHEVALIERS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. INVINCIBLE MISSILE and ROMANTIC LAOS were sent for sampling.