17/12/2014  Happy Valley  Race 2

ABLE TALENT began awkwardly and lost ground. BE THERE AHEAD was slow to begin. From wide barriers, SECRET IDENTITY, which began awkwardly, and HAPPY HOMING were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Near the 1000 Metres, ABLE TALENT got its head up when being checked away from the heels of FRESH AND FRESH which lost ground after laying in towards the heels of JET SET DRAGON. BE THERE AHEAD, which was following ABLE TALENT, was checked away from the heels of that horse in consequence. As the Stewards were of the opinion that there was no rider carelessness involved with this incident, no further action was taken. SECRET IDENTITY made the first turn approaching the 1000 Metres awkwardly and was then left racing wide and without cover near the 750 Metres. Making the turn approaching the 600 Metres, ABLE TALENT got its head on the side and was awkwardly placed inside the heels of HAPPY HOMING. For some distance approaching the 200 Metres, BE THERE AHEAD was hampered when racing in restricted room inside FRESH AND FRESH (Apprentice C Y Lui) which was then shifted out abruptly to relieve the tightening to BE THERE AHEAD. Apprentice Lui was severely reprimanded and advised that he should have stopped riding and straightened his mount far earlier than he did on this occasion to prevent it from shifting in. Throughout the race, DIAMOND FRIENDS travelled wide and without cover. The Stewards deferred the declaration of weighed-in as they were of the prima facie view that an incident occurred approaching the 200 Metres which cast sufficient doubt on whether ALL TIMES LUCKY should be declared the winner of the race. Subsequently D Whyte, the rider of 2nd placed, MONTE CASTELLO, lodged a protest/objection against ALL TIMES LUCKY being declared the winner alleging interference to his mount approaching the 200 Metres. After taking evidence from all parties concerned and after viewing the videos, the Stewards found that approaching the 200 Metres MONTE CASTELLO shifted out away from THOR THE GREATEST when that horse shifted out under pressure. As a result of this movement, MONTE CASTELLO shifted out into a position close to the heels of ALL TIMES LUCKY of its own accord. At the same time, ALL TIMES LUCKY shifted in marginally. As the Stewards were of the opinion that the incident had resulted more from MONTE CASTELLO shifting out towards the heels of ALL TIMES LUCKY rather than any discernible shift inwards from ALL TIMES LUCKY, the protest/objection was overruled and weighed-in was declared on the numbers semaphored by the Judge. After the race, the Veterinary Officer reported that GETAWAY GUY had sustained an overreached wound on its right front leg. THOR THE GREATEST, ALL TIMES LUCKY and MONTE CASTELLO were sent for sampling.