10/10/2018  Happy Valley  Race 2

COUR VALANT was withdrawn on 9.10.18 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right fore) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter REGENCY HONEY (Z Purton). Before being allowed to race again, COUR VALANT will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. ROOKIE STAR began awkwardly. IDYLLIC WIND lost its left front plate shortly after the start. When being steadied to obtain cover from a wide barrier, HAPPY HAPPY became unbalanced shortly after the start when bumped by FIRST BEAUT which shifted in marginally. Also from a wide barrier, CORRE RAPIDO was steadied shortly after the start to obtain cover. NOBLE DE BOY and SHOWING CHARACTER were steadied in the early stages to obtain cover. Despite being ridden along in the early stages, OTOUTO failed to muster speed. Near the 650 Metres, NOBLE DE BOY momentarily raced tight between THE HAPPY BUNCH and OTOUTO which shifted out away from the heels of PADDINGTON. When commencing to improve between THE HAPPY BUNCH and THE SHOW rounding the Home Turn, ROOKIE STAR momentarily raced tight between those horses as a result of THE SHOW (W M Lai) shifting out before being directed back in to relieve the tightening to ROOKIE STAR. W M Lai was reprimanded and advised to ensure that he exercises due care when shifting ground. When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of ROOKIE STAR, N Callan stated that at its most recent start the horse had travelled keenly in the middle stages and therefore tonight he attempted to have the horse relax better. He said in the early stages ROOKIE STAR initially travelled comfortably, however, when the pace eased in the middle stages, ROOKIE STAR commenced to prove very difficult to settle and had to be checked away from the heels of THE HAPPY BUNCH for a considerable distance. He said that due to ROOKIE STAR refusing to relax in the middle stages, the horse was then not able to finish off the race. He added that he did recommend to connections that they consider experimenting with the gear carried by ROOKIE STAR in an endeavour to have it relax more in its races. A veterinary inspection of ROOKIE STAR immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that THE HAPPY BUNCH had sustained a cut to the right hind tendon. Before being allowed to race again, THE HAPPY BUNCH will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of OTOUTO immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. It was reported that after arriving back at Sha Tin, NOBLE DE BOY was found to be bleeding from the right nostril. An endoscopic examination of NOBLE DE BOY confirmed that horse to have bled. ROOKIE STAR, THE SHOW and REGENCY HONEY were sent for sampling.