23/12/2020  Happy Valley  Race 1

On jumping, JOY N FUN LEGEND, WONDER BRAHMA and KEEP WINNING were crowded for room between PERFECT TO PLAY which shifted in and PRETTY BAUHINIA which got its head on the side and shifted out abruptly despite the efforts of its rider. From wide barriers, SHINEALOT, VIRTUS STAR, BRAVERY AND POWER and NITRO EXPRESS, which jumped awkwardly, were all shifted across behind runners in the early stages. After racing in restricted room for some distance in the early stages inside the heels of PERFECT TO PLAY (J Moreira), JOY N FUN LEGEND was steadied approaching the 1300 Metres when PERFECT TO PLAY shifted in. J Moreira was reprimanded and advised to ensure that he affords runners to his inside comfortable racing room. When JOY N FUN LEGEND was steadied, VIRTUS STAR, which was being shifted in behind that horse, was checked and directed out away from the heels of JOY N FUN LEGEND to prevent causing tightening to BRAVERY AND POWER. Approaching the 150 Metres, WINNERS BROTHER, which was giving ground, was checked when tightened for room between KEEP WINNING (M L Yeung) which shifted in slightly under pressure and PRETTY BAUHINIA which was required to shift out away from the heels of WONDER BRAHMA (M F Poon) which shifted ground under pressure. Both M L Yeung and M F Poon were reprimanded and advised that in similar circumstances they would be expected to keep their mounts straighter than they did on this occasion. C Soumillon, the rider of NITRO EXPRESS, was reminded of the requirement under the Rules to refrain from using his whip forward of the saddle. When questioned regarding his riding of HAPPY HOUR, particularly why he did not pull the whip on that horse over the latter stages, Z Purton stated that rounding the Home Turn he slapped HAPPY HOUR down the shoulder with the whip in order to have it make up ground and to close off the race. He said in the early part of the Straight he initially intended to shift to the outside of WONDER BRAHMA, however, when that horse shifted out under pressure, he continued to improve inside that horse before directing HAPPY HOUR out around the heels of PERFECT TO PLAY after passing the 200 Metres. He said he then placed HAPPY HOUR under full pressure and slapped the horse down the shoulder with his whip on several occasions, however, HAPPY HOUR was inclined to shift out slightly and as he felt that the horse was giving of its best, he continued to ride it in this fashion to the end of the race rather than pull the whip as he believed that had he have done this HAPPY HOUR would have shifted out and compromised its winning chance. After the race, M F Poon stated that WONDER BRAHMA tended to race keenly in the early stages and as a consequence was not able to finish off the race. A veterinary inspection of WONDER BRAHMA immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. PERFECT TO PLAY and HAPPY HOUR were sent for sampling.