02/12/2009  Happy Valley  Race 2

VIVA GUY and MY MELODY bumped at the start. Shortly after the start, MASTER RIO raced in restricted room between RAISING SUN and CLASSIC NAVIGATOR, both of which shifted some ground. From outside barriers, GLORIOUS GIANT and AMAZING FLYER were taken across behind runners in the early stages. Approaching and passing the 600 Metres, VIVA GUY got its head up and raced ungenerously when being checked away from the heels of MY MELODY. In the Straight, GLORIOUS GIANT hung in and approaching the 50 Metres was steadied away from the heels of AMAZING FLYER. Throughout the race, SUPER GALILEO travelled wide and without cover. D Whyte (ABSOLUTE HEDGE) reported that the horse raced greenly throughout the event. When questioned, B Doyle stated that he was under specific instructions to ride ELITE FORTUNE quietly in the early stages and to ensure that he travelled away from the fence and made his run outside of horses in the Straight. He said ELITE FORTUNE, which had previously been slow to begin in its races, began well tonight and although he would have been able to maintain a more forward position, he allowed ELITE FORTUNE to drop to the rear of the field due to his explicit instructions. He said he allowed runners racing outside of him to cross approaching and passing the 1000 Metres and he travelled behind GLORIOUS GIANT in a position away from the fence. He said as he was instructed to make his run to the outside of horses, he elected not to improve to the inside of GLORIOUS GIANT although there was an opportunity to do so, but rather came to the outside of that horse. Mr T W Leung, trainer of ELITE FORTUNE, confirmed the instructions given to B Doyle and said that these instructions were given as the horse raced best in the past when ridden in this manner. He said two starts ago ELITE FORTUNE, when racing on the rail in the early stages, had resented doing so and consequently performed disappointingly. He said he had also noted that ELITE FORTUNE resented racing amongst other horses and for this reason he felt it was in the best interests of the horse to shift away from the rail and be taken to the outside to make its run. A veterinary inspection of GLORIOUS GIANT after the race did not show any significant findings. ABSOLUTE HEDGE, LUCKY AMORE and CLASSIC NAVIGATOR were sent for sampling.