12/05/2010  Happy Valley  Race 5

BROTHERS IN ARMS was withdrawn on 11.5.10 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (lame right fore) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter CHINA DRAGON (B Prebble). MULTIPROUD was withdrawn on raceday morning by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (substantial amount of mucopus in trachea on scoping after track work). Before being allowed to race again, BROTHERS IN ARMS and MULTIPROUD will both be subjected to an official veterinary examination. LUCKY FOLLOW ME and LUCKY RED were slow to begin. LUCKY ARMY was slow to begin and shortly after the start was checked when crowded for room between GO LEGEND GO and CHEVALIER KING which shifted in. Making the first turn near the 550 Metres, ETERNAL BEAUTY got its head on the side and hung out badly despite the efforts of its rider, Apprentice K W Leung. FLY HIGH and OUR PEGASUS, which were racing outside of ETERNAL BEAUTY, were carried very wide and LUCKY RED, which was following those horses, was checked and taken wider. The racing manners of ETERNAL BEAUTY were considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, ETERNAL BEAUTY will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in an official barrier trial around a bend. Rounding the Home Turn, GOLD WINNER hung out. When GOLD WINNER hung out, DIAMOND KNIGHT, which was racing behind that horse, improved to its inside after straightening. For some distance between the 250 Metres and the 150 Metres, DIAMOND KNIGHT then raced in restricted room inside GOLD WINNER which shifted in slightly under pressure. In the Straight, ETERNAL BEAUTY got its head on the side and hung in. When questioned regarding his riding of GO LEGEND GO, Apprentice M L Yeung stated that after balancing the horse at the entrance to the Straight, he commenced to ride the horse out and near the 200 Metres pulled the whip on it. He said in the Straight GO LEGEND GO raced somewhat greenly and the horse was inclined to shift out under pressure. He said for this reason he used the whip only sparingly in the run to the line. Apprentice Yeung was advised that his riding of the horse in the Straight had come under notice and he should ride his mounts in such a fashion as to leave no room for query. After the race, B Prebble reported that when being ridden out in the Straight, CHINA DRAGON was reluctant to stretch out. Before being allowed to race again, CHINA DRAGON will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. A veterinary inspection of CHINA DRAGON and OUR PEGASUS after the race did not show any significant findings. CHEVALIER KING and ETERNAL BEAUTY were sent for sampling.