05/10/2022  Happy Valley  Race 4

GOLDEN FOUR began only fairly and then was bumped by MEDIC ELITE which was taken in by BEST FOR YOU which got its head up and shifted in when being steadied to obtain cover from a wide barrier. LEISURE AND GOLD was crowded for room on jumping between MISTER ARM and CIRCUIT SPIRITANTO. Then from a wide barrier, LEISURE AND GOLD was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Near the 1600 Metres, PASSING FASHION was hampered when steadied away from the heels of PAKISTAN ZINDABAD which was taken out by SPEED FORCE which shifted out. In this incident, MEDIC ELITE was inconvenienced in consequence. Near the 1250 Metres, FELIX THE KING momentarily raced in restricted room inside SPEED FORCE which shifted in before being directed back out. Approaching the 1100 Metres, PAKISTAN ZINDABAD travelled keenly and raced close to the heels of SPEED FORCE. Then passing the 650 Metres, PAKISTAN ZINDABAD raced tight outside SPEED FORCE which shifted out from behind MISTER ARM to follow MEDIC ELITE. This resulted in PAKISTAN ZINDABAD racing wide and without cover. MISTER ARM travelled wide and without cover until near the 1000 Metres at which time CIRCUIT SPIRITANTO was left racing wide and without cover. Rounding the Home Turn, BEST FOR YOU lost ground after becoming unbalanced as a result of being momentarily crowded for room inside the hindquarters of GOLDEN FOUR which at this time lay in towards the heels of FELIX THE KING. Approaching the 200 Metres, PASSING FASHION briefly raced in restricted room inside SPEED FORCE when improving to the outside of the heels of MEDIC ELITE. Passing the 200 Metres, GOLDEN FOUR was shifted out away from the heels of MISTER ARM to continue improving. V Borges, the rider of the 5th placegetter, SPEED FORCE, was told that whilst his mount achieved its best placing in the race, he was severely reprimanded for failing to ride his mount out over the concluding stages. He was advised that had SPEED FORCE finished behind GOLDEN FOUR, the 6th placegetter, rather than beating that horse by a nose, he would have faced a charge for having failed to ride his mounts out all the way to the end of the race. When questioned regarding THE JOLLY being ridden in the lead tonight, L Hewitson stated that stepping up to the 1650 Metres at Happy Valley for tonight’s race for the first time, it was intended to take advantage of the horse’s inside barrier and lead the race if circumstances permitted. He said THE JOLLY began well and he was able to obtain the lead without having to make any use of his mount in the early stages to do so. After the race, Z Purton reported that whilst PAKISTAN ZINDABAD did not finish the race off as strongly as anticipated, he was of the view that the horse would benefit from being stepped up in distance at its future starts. A veterinary inspection of PAKISTAN ZINDABAD immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse’s trachea. Before being allowed to race again, PAKISTAN ZINDABAD will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of MISTER ARM immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. PAKISTAN ZINDABAD, PASSING FASHION and CIRCUIT SPIRITANTO were sent for sampling.