22/03/2017  Happy Valley  Race 3

SMILING GLORY and SIGHT SEEING bumped heavily at the start. WINNING CONTROLLER shifted out on jumping and bumped SEE ME NOW. BRIGHT STAR began awkwardly and then from a wide barrier was shifted across behind runners. Also from a wide barrier, CONFUCIUS SPIRIT was steadied in the early stages and shifted across behind runners. Near the 1050 Metres, when being shifted across behind runners to obtain cover, GRADE ONE was steadied away from the heels of GOLDEN CHOPSTICKS (H W Lai) which shifted in. H W Lai was advised to exercise more care in future. Approaching the 1000 Metres, when being steadied to obtain cover, SIGHT SEEING was awkwardly placed outside the heels of SMILING GLORY which shifted out marginally. Also approaching the 1000 Metres, BRIGHT STAR was awkwardly placed close to the heels of SIGHT SEEING. After the 700 Metres, WINNING CONTROLLER was left racing wide and without cover. Approaching the 600 Metres, SEE ME NOW was awkwardly placed behind BUMBLE BABY. Near the 500 Metres, OTOUTO raced in restricted room inside CONFUCIUS SPIRIT which lay in marginally. OTOUTO then bumped the hindquarters of CONFUCIUS SPIRIT, causing that horse to be turned in across the running of OTOUTO which lost ground as a result. For some distance after the 500 Metres, BRIGHT STAR was awkwardly placed close to the heels of SIGHT SEEING. Approaching the 100 Metres, N Rawiller (FLYING GODSPELL) dropped his whip. When questioned, K C Leung stated that he had been asked to ride GRADE ONE quietly from barrier 9. He said it was explained to him that GRADE ONE had not been finishing off its races as strongly as had been hoped when ridden to obtain a forward position, therefore in what was anticipated to be a race which would be run at a good tempo, he was asked to shift the horse across behind runners and obtain cover to assist it to finish off the race more strongly than it had been. He said in accordance with his instructions he shifted GRADE ONE across behind runners in the early stages and whilst the horse was inclined to race greenly, he was satisfied with the manner in which it travelled. He added rounding the Home Turn he shifted GRADE ONE to the outside of runners and when placed under pressure the horse finished off the race well. He said the manner in which GRADE ONE finished off the race indicated to him that it may appreciate being ridden off the speed in its races. BUMBLE BABY, SEE ME NOW and GAME OF FUN were sent for sampling.