19/10/2022  Happy Valley  Race 2

SPICY GRILL and NORDIC COMBINED began only fairly. SIX BEST FRIENDS shifted in at the start and inconvenienced UNIVERSAL CROWN which was then crowded for room outside AMBITIOUS HEART which became unbalanced after being bumped on the hindquarters by UNIVERSAL CROWN. From the outside barrier, SHENZHOU TWELVE was shifted across behind runners in the early stages. After the 1000 Metres, LUCKY ARCHANGEL was steadied away from the heels of SIX BEST FRIENDS which was taken in by COLONEL which got its head up and shifted in abruptly when being steadied by its rider. After the 900 Metres, UNIVERSAL CROWN was left racing wide and without cover and passing the 450 Metres and again on straightening raced tight outside NORDIC COMBINED. A Badel (HERCULES) was placed on notice regarding raising his whip arm above the height of his shoulder. Jockey Badel was told should he offend again in the future, further action may be taken. When questioned, K H Chan (KOKUSHI MUSOU) stated that in earlier discussions with Mr C Fownes, the trainer of KOKUSHI MUSOU, it was felt that from barrier 10 KOKUSHI MUSOU should be shifted across behind runners to obtain a position closer to the rail. He said however that in the Parade Ring tonight it was decided that as COLONEL, a noted leader, was drawn immediately to the inside of KOKUSHI MUSOU and due to no other genuine leaders, he should endeavour to obtain a forward position and follow that horse across in the early stages. He said KOKUSHI MUSOU was initially slow to muster speed in the early stages despite being ridden along and he had to ride the horse more vigorously passing the 1100 Metres at which time KOKUSHI MUSOU was able to improve its position forward of COLONEL. He said when COLONEL was being steadied approaching the 1000 Metres, he allowed KOKUSHI MUSOU to continue forward of that horse to race outside SIX BEST FRIENDS near the 850 Metres. He said he immediately attempted to steady the tempo on KOKUSHI MUSOU without restraining the horse too heavily given that it wears a tongue tie and he felt that heavily restraining the horse may result in it choking down. He added that KOKUSHI MUSOU would not relax sufficiently along the Back Straight to be able to come back to race off SIX BEST FRIENDS to its inside. He said he continued to attempt to steady the tempo on KOKUSHI MUSOU for some distance after the 700 Metres, however, the horse would not relax and then in the Straight did not finish the race off. Mr Fownes stated that whilst the horse had previously been ridden back in the field from wide barriers, he was of the belief that all of KOKUSHI MUSOU’s main rivals in tonight’s race had drawn well and therefore he felt that taking the horse back at the start would give KOKUSHI MUSOU too much start to its main rivals. He said as he was of the opinion that COLONEL was the only established leader in the race and given that that horse was drawn immediately to the inside of KOKUSHI MUSOU, he felt that there was an opportunity for KOKUSHI MUSOU to be ridden along in the early stages and race outside COLONEL. He added that on the two occasions when KOKUSHI MUSOU had been successful in its races, the horse had been positioned behind the leaders albeit from the inside barrier which indicated to him that the horse would have sufficient speed to be able to shift across with COLONEL and race in a forward position tonight. When questioned, V Borges stated that he was asked to ride COLONEL positively in the early stages and if no other horse was intent on leading, he should take up the running, however, if other runners were being ridden along to obtain the lead, then it was acceptable for him to obtain a trailing position. He said in accordance with his instructions he allowed COLONEL to begin well and immediately attempted to obtain a forward position. He said when SIX BEST FRIENDS was being aggressively ridden to the inside of COLONEL and as KOKUSHI MUSOU was improving its position around COLONEL after the 1100 Metres, he decided to steady COLONEL and take up a trailing position rather than continue to fight for the lead as he believed that the race would be run too strongly which would not allow COLONEL the opportunity to finish the race off. Mr H F Yiu, assistant trainer allocated to Mr P F Yiu, the trainer of COLONEL and who was not present on course tonight, stated that the connections were disappointed with COLONEL’s most finishing effort when the horse was ridden along to obtain a forward position from a wide barrier. He confirmed that Jockey Borges was told to ride COLONEL positively in the early stages and if another horse was intent on leading, he should take a trailing position in the hope that COLONEL would finish the race off better tonight than it did last start. When questioned, H W Lai stated that he was asked to ride SIX BEST FRIENDS positively from barrier 8 tonight as the only other time that the horse had raced well was when it was able to be ridden in the lead. He said he had to ride SIX BEST FRIENDS vigorously in the early stages to cross LUCKY ARCHANGEL to its inside and after being able to clear runners to his inside and race on the rail near the 900 Metres, SIX BEST FRIENDS then travelled keenly and would not relax. He said he attempted to steady SIX BEST FRIENDS in the middle stages, however, when KOKUSHI MUSOU raced to the outside and in advance of SIX BEST FRIENDS along the Back Straight, his mount continued to travel keenly which resulted in both SIX BEST FRIENDS and KOKUSHI MUSOU opening up a margin over the remainder of the field. A veterinary inspection of CHICKEN DANCE immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. LUCKY ARCHANGEL and HERCULES were sent for sampling.