04/03/2009  Shatin  Race 3

SPLENDID SAILS began awkwardly and lost ground. ARITZIA began awkwardly and bumped the inside gate of its stall, causing W C Marwing, its rider, to become unbalanced. NICE KING and NEW IDEA were slow into stride. Making the turn at the 700 Metres, NICE KING was steadied away from the heels of SUPER FIGHTER. In the middle stages, WIKI WIKI and FULL BLESSINGS hung out. For a considerable distance approaching the 400 Metres, NEW IDEA was steadied when awkwardly placed close to the heels of FULL BLESSINGS. Over the concluding stages, NICE KING had difficulty obtaining clear running and because of this was not ridden out to the end of the race as it normally would be. Throughout the race, GOLDEN BALL travelled wide and without cover. When questioned, O Doleuze (JADE DANCER), which was racing with the blinkers removed tonight, explained the horse had been stopping when leading in its races. He said he was therefore instructed if he was able to obtain an easy lead, he should lead, otherwise he should race outside the lead. He said JADE DANCER began well, he allowed his mount to travel forward in the early stages and when BELONG TO CASA was ridden along to his inside, he decided to race to the outside of that horse. He said after the 1000 Metres he remained racing well away from the rail as he believed JADE DANCER would settle better in the early stages if not racing directly outside another runner. He said also in his opinion JADE DANCER is reluctant to travel well inside other runners and he believed by remaining racing where he was, other runners would not improve to his outside. He said near the 900 Metres he felt as if another runner had struck his heels and he therefore looked to both the outside and the inside. He said after this SPEED FIGHTER was ridden along to improve to race inside the heels of JADE DANCER and as such he was not able to shift across to a two wide position and race outside BELONG TO CASA approaching the turn at the 700 Metres as he had intended to do. He said because of this JADE DANCER travelled in a three wide position in the middle stages. He added JADE DANCER hung in in the middle stages and in the Home Straight. GOLDEN BALL was sent for an official veterinary inspection. A veterinary inspection of GOLDEN BALL after the race did not show any significant findings. BELONG TO CASA and SUPER FIGHTER were sent for sampling.