25/09/2019  Happy Valley  Race 6

After being loaded into the barriers, SMART CHARADE became fractious, reared and momentarily rested its right front leg on the barrier partition. SMART CHARADE was removed from the barriers and examined by the Veterinary Officer and passed fit to race. Before being allowed to race again, SMART CHARADE will be required to perform satisfactorily in a stalls test. After the race, SMART CHARADE was found to have blood at the right lip. An endoscopic examination of that horse found the trachea to be clean. FRUSTRATED shifted out at the start and bumped BEAUTY CHARISMA which in turn shifted out and bumped AQUILA. CALIFORNIA ARGENT was steadied in the early stages to obtain cover. When being ridden along shortly after the start, SUPER JUNIOR was shifted out away from the heels of SPECIAL STARS which shifted out. YOUNG LEGEND, which was racing outside SUPER JUNIOR, became unbalanced in consequence. From the outside barriers, SMART CHARADE and BREEDERS’ STAR were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. When left racing wide near the 900 Metres after being ridden along to obtain a forward position, AQUILA was then steadied to obtain cover behind BEAUTY CHARISMA after the 700 Metres. In the early and middle stages, GENTLE BREEZE lay in and again in the early part of the Straight got its head on the side and lay in. After the 600 Metres, SPECIAL STARS was left racing wide and without cover. Passing the 250 Metres, SUPER JUNIOR lay in and was reluctant to shift to the outside of BEAUTY CHARISMA. Near the 50 Metres, AQUILA was awkwardly placed inside the heels of GENTLE BREEZE (M Chadwick) which shifted in under pressure. Then passing the winning post, AQUILA was steadied away from the heels of GENTLE BREEZE which continued to shift in. M Chadwick was reprimanded and advised that in similar circumstances he would be expected to straighten his mounts. K Teetan (BREEDER’S STAR) was fined $5,000 for improper use of the whip in that he raised weal marks over the horse’s right flank. After the race, Z Purton was not able to offer any explanation for the disappointing performance of EXPLOSIVE WITNESS. He said he was able to obtain a good position behind the speed and EXPLOSIVE WITNESS travelled satisfactorily, however, the horse came under pressure prior to the Home Turn and then did not finish off the race. A veterinary inspection of EXPLOSIVE WITNESS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. AQUILA, GENTLE BREEZE and FRUSTRATED were sent for sampling.