16/05/2018  Happy Valley  Race 2

As the start was effected, MASTER VIKING lifted its front feet off the ground and consequently missed the start. SUPREME WITNESS began awkwardly. On jumping, TOP SCORE and SPLIT OF A SECOND were crowded for room between BINGO and AUTOPAY, both of which shifted ground. From the outside barrier, JOLLY BOUNTIFUL was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Soon after the start, CALL ME AWESOME got its head on the side and shifted out, making contact with the hindquarters of NICE FANDANGO which in turn shifted out and inconvenienced TRAVEL SUCCESSOR. CALL ME AWESOME again got its head on the side making the first turn near the 1000 Metres and shifted out towards the heels of TRAVEL SUCCESSOR. MASTER VIKING, which was following CALL ME AWESOME, was hampered in consequence. Along the Back Straight, CALL ME AWESOME (Z Purton) raced ungenerously and shifted out to race tight with BINGO (J Moreira) for some distance. Then making the turn approaching the 500 Metres, CALL ME AWESOME, which was laying out, and BINGO, which was racing tight inside the heels of AUTOPAY, bumped heavily, resulting in both horses becoming unbalanced. CALL ME AWESOME continued to lay out and made contact with BINGO on a number of occasions between the 500 Metres and the 400 Metres. When questioned, Z Purton stated that due to its inclination to hang out for most of the race, CALL ME AWESOME was never properly balanced and felt particularly awkward in its action in the Home Straight. He said as a consequence the horse was not able to close off the race. A veterinary inspection of CALL ME AWESOME immediately following the race found that horse to have bled from both nostrils. The racing manners of CALL ME AWESOME were also considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, CALL ME AWESOME will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial around a bend. When questioned, J Moreira stated that BINGO travelled satisfactorily until approaching the 600 Metres where it commenced to receive pressure from CALL ME AWESOME which was racing to his inside. He said after being bumped on a number of occasions, BINGO became unbalanced, dropped the bit and then did not travel comfortably for the remainder of the race. He added although the horse was rather disappointing in the manner in which it weakened in the Straight, he felt that the circumstances of it being hampered for some distance throughout the middle stages might explain the horse’s performance. A veterinary inspection of BINGO immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. After the 600 Metres, SPLIT OF A SECOND raced in restricted room inside JOLLY BOUNTIFUL and as a consequence shifted in and made contact with LOVE CHUNGHWA. Over the concluding stages, LOVE CHUNGHWA was steadied and was not able to be ridden out to the finishing line as that horse improved to be racing close to the heels of NICE FANDANGO. Just prior to the finishing line, MASTER VIKING was awkwardly placed inside the heels of NICE FANDANGO. Throughout the race, AUTOPAY travelled wide and without cover. A veterinary inspection of KINGSWAY KID immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. CALL ME AWESOME, NICE FANDANGO and TOP SCORE were sent for sampling.