23/12/2009  Happy Valley  Race 3

As Apprentice K C Leung was overweight, Apprentice M Chadwick was substituted as the rider of BONDI LAD. Apprentice Leung was fined the sum of $5,000. NATIVE KID was slow to begin and then despite being ridden along was unable to muster sufficient speed to take up a forward position. From the outside barrier, MASARYK was taken across behind runners shortly after the start. Also shortly after the start, BONDI LAD, which was slow to begin, was bumped when crowded for room between LONGWAH RISING and GOOD SMILE which shifted in after making contact with HAR HAR CHARMS which shifted in slightly. In this incident, both BONDI LAD and GOOD SMILE were hampered. Passing the 800 Metres, ENGINEERING WONDER was hampered when momentarily crowded for room inside FLYING CHINA which shifted in. FLYING CHINA was then immediately shifted out to relieve the tightening to ENGINEERING WONDER. Making the turn at the 600 Metres, NATIVE KID was checked when crowded for room inside the hindquarters of LONGWAH RISING which lay in momentarily. When NATIVE KID was checked, ENGINEERING WONDER, which was following, was checked in consequence and shifted out, resulting in FLYING CHINA being severely checked when taken out across the heels of BONDI LAD. As the Stewards were of the view that no rider was careless in the incident, no further action was taken. Throughout the race, EL ZONDA travelled wide and without cover. YOUNG LABEL, PLAN B and LONGWAH RISING were sent for sampling.