19/03/2025  Happy Valley  Race 3

POWER KOEPP (E301): Sent for sampling post-race. NEVER TOO SOON (E434): Jumped only fairly and made contact with VIGOR ELLEEGANT. Near the 250 Metres was briefly held up when obtaining a tight run between MY INTELLIGENT and VIGOR ELLEEGANT which shifted in and away from LUCKY BLESSING. Leaving the 150 Metres was steadied when crowded between MY INTELLIGENT and LUCKY BLESSING which, after being taken in by MY DAY MY WAY (C L Chau), then shifted in and away from that runner slightly. C L Chau was reprimanded and advised he must stop riding and straighten his mounts sooner than what he did on this occasion. BEAUTY THUNDER (J299): Raced wide and without cover for the majority of the event. MY DAY MY WAY (J519): Jumped only fairly, shifted out and made contact with EXCELLENT PEERS. Sent for sampling post-race. EXCELLENT PEERS (G033): Bumped at the start. TELECOM DRAGON (H322): Near the 1000 Metres was eased when momentarily crowded by BRAVE JOY which shifted in slightly. BRAVE JOY (J307): Near the 600 Metres was eased to avoid BEAUTY THUNDER (A Hamelin) which shifted in when not clear. A Hamelin was reprimanded. GOOD PROSPECT (J406): Approaching the 300 Metres was held up when it lay in and was reluctant to shift to the outside of MY DAY MY WAY. As a result, GOOD PROSPECT was held up for clear running between the 300 Metres and the 200 Metres. GOOD PROSPECT continued to lay in when placed under pressure over the final 200 Metres. After the event, K C Leung reported that his mount shifted in on jumping, made contact with the right side of its barrier and lost ground. He added that this resulted in his foot shifting in his right stirrup and near the 150 Metres he was obliged to reposition his foot in his stirrup using his right hand. YOUNG HORIZON (G272): On jumping was bumped by GOOD PROSPECT. When questioned, Apprentice E C W Wong stated that from a wide barrier his instructions were to ride his mount in a conservative manner in the early stages. He said when complying with his instructions approaching the 1000 Metres YOUNG HORIZON got its head up and was eased when racing in restricted room to the inside of GOOD PROSPECT. When questioned regarding his riding making the Home Turn and in the early part of the Home Straight Apprentice Wong stated that when he observed NEVER TOO SOON shift out on the Home Turn he then immediately elected to shift to that runner’s inside to obtain clear running. He said as he was improving to the inside of NEVER TOO SOON that runner shifted in, resulting in YOUNG HORIZON being taken in and being held up for clear running between the 300 Metres and the 200 Metres. He added near the 200 Metres his mount then became held up behind MY INTELLIGENT and after being crowded by NEVER TOO SOON near the 100 Metres did not obtain clear running thereafter. The Stewards found the tactics adopted by Apprentice Wong were reasonable in the circumstances. VIGOR ELLEEGANT (J375): On jumping made contact with NEVER TOO SOON and became unbalanced. After the event, M F Poon reported that from a wide barrier he was obliged to make use of his mount in the early stages to lead and as a result VIGOR ELLEEGANT did not respond to his riding in the Home Straight. A veterinary inspection immediately following the race which included an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse’s trachea and also found the horse to be a "roarer” which had previously been reported. Before being allowed to race again, VIGOR ELLEEGANT will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. LUCKY BLESSING (K073): Leaving the 150 Metres was crowded by MY DAY MY WAY. Over the concluding stages could not be ridden out when racing tight to the inside of GOOD PROSPECT which shifted in. MY INTELLIGENT (G031): No report.