08/07/2020  Happy Valley  Race 2

MELBOURNE HALL was withdrawn on 7.7.20 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (blood abnormality) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter WONDERFUL TIMES (B Shinn). Before being allowed to race again, MELBOURNE HALL will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. WONDERFUL TREASURE began only fairly. MOMENTUM HAPPY and NOBLE MAN bumped at the start. WONDERFUL TIMES was crowded for room on jumping between STRATHCLYDE and JADE THEATRE which shifted in. After this, from a wide barrier, JADE THEATRE was shifted across behind runners to obtain cover. From wide barriers, STRATHCLYDE and DAZZLING FEELING were shifted across behind runners in the early stages. Near the 1150 Metres, NOBLE MAN and MOMENTUM HAPPY were momentarily crowded for room inside SPACE which shifted in before being corrected by its rider. Making the turn after the 1000 Metres, WONDERFUL TREASURE, which was having it first race start, got its head up and made the turn awkwardly and in doing so shifted out a number of horses, resulting in STRATHCLYDE being hampered when taken wider. WONDERFUL TREASURE then travelled keenly for some distance. SHINING ON had difficulty obtaining clear running in the early part of the Straight and passing the 250 Metres brushed SPLIT OF A SECOND when improving into tight running between that horse and SPACE. For the majority of the race, JADE THEATRE travelled wide and without cover. When questioned regarding his riding of SPACE, M Chadwick stated that at its last start he was asked to ride the horse with cover if possible to ensure that it was able to finish off the race. He said it was explained to him on that occasion that SPACE had been disappointing in the manner in which it had closed off its races and therefore it was felt that SPACE’s best opportunity would be for it to obtain cover. He said after riding his mount positively from a wide barrier in the early stages, he attempted to obtain cover passing the 800 Metres, however, due to the makeup of the field on that occasion SPACE was left racing wide and without cover and therefore he had to allow his mount to improve its position to race outside the lead but continuing to race wide and without cover. He said because of the circumstances of the race SPACE then weakened over the concluding stages. He said in tonight’s race he was again asked to ride SPACE positively in the early stages to obtain cover if at all possible. He said it was felt that there was good speed engaged in tonight’s race drawn inside SPACE and that MOMENTUM HAPPY would form a part of this speed. He said it was therefore hoped that he could follow MOMENTUM HAPPY across and obtain a trailing position behind that horse or have a horse drawn wider to be ridden forward of SPACE in the early stages and obtain cover behind that horse. He said SPACE began very well and although it was available to him to ride his mount along to clear NOBLE MAN, MOMENTUM HAPPY and FEARLESS FIRE in the early stages, he felt that this would be counter-productive for the horse to be able to obtain cover as riding it along would make it difficult for him to then steady SPACE and obtain cover. He said NOBLE MAN maintained its position to the inside of SPACE in the early stages and he therefore had to ride SPACE along to clear that horse and as it took him some time to clear NOBLE MAN, this allowed MOMENTUM HAPPY the opportunity to improve its position to the inside of that horse and obtain the lead after the 1100 Metres. He said he followed MOMENTUM HAPPY across with a view to possibly obtaining cover behind that horse, however, when ATHENA and SPLIT OF A SECOND maintained those positions, this resulted in SPACE racing outside MOMENTUM HAPPY and without cover. Mr P F Yiu, the trainer of SPACE, confirmed the instructions given to Jockey Chadwick and stressed that he wished for SPACE to obtain cover in tonight’s race if at all possible. He said he was disappointed with the manner in which SPACE gave ground at its most recent start and the manner in which it failed to find the line in some of its earlier races when trained by him and therefore he felt that riding the horse with cover tonight would provide the horse with the opportunity to finish off the race. He added although SPACE raced outside MOMENTUM HAPPY rather than being able to obtain cover, he was satisfied with the manner in which SPACE was ridden as the horse was able to finish off the race better than it had been. After viewing the videos and considering the evidence of Jockey Chadwick and Mr Yiu, the Stewards advised Jockey Chadwick that they would report his explanation and took no further action. A veterinary inspection of WONDERFUL TREASURE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. FEARLESS FIRE, MOMENTUM HAPPY and SHINING ON were sent for sampling.