30/10/2022  Happy Valley  Race 4

PAINTER was withdrawn on 28.10.22 by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice (right front tendon injury) and was replaced by Standby Declared Starter BALLISTIC MAN (L Currie). Before being allowed to race again, PAINTER will be subjected to an official veterinary examination. SEATOSKY bounded in the air as the start was effected and lost ground. BALLISTIC MAN shifted out at the start and bumped HAPPY JAI JAI. OVER THE MOON was shifted out away from HAPPY JAI JAI and bumped REGENCY MASTER which was hampered. From wide barriers, YEE CHEONG WARRIOR and CHARIZARD were shifted across behind runners in the early stages to obtain cover. When being steadied to obtain cover behind REGENCY MASTER after the 1600 Metres, YEE CHEONG WARRIOR was awkwardly placed outside that horse. Passing the 700 Metres, RUN THE TABLE was shifted out away from the heels of MORE THAN ENOUGH which commenced to give ground abruptly. After this, MORE THAN ENOUGH continued to give ground and rounding the Home Turn was eased down. As MORE THAN ENOUGH gave ground, YEE CHEONG WARRIOR was awkwardly placed behind that horse passing the 500 Metres. A veterinary inspection of MORE THAN ENOUGH immediately following the race revealed that the horse was displaying an irregular heart rhythm and an endoscopic examination also found the horse to have a substantial amount of blood in its trachea. Before being allowed to race again, MORE THAN ENOUGH will be required to perform satisfactorily in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. At the 300 Metres, HAPPY JAI JAI was awkwardly placed close to the heels of RED IMPACT when taken in by BALLISTIC MAN which got its head on the side and shifted in when commencing to give ground. Approaching the 50 Metres, OVER THE MOON was bumped by YEE CHEONG WARRIOR which shifted out away from the heels of RUN THE TABLE to obtain clear running after being awkwardly placed behind that horse. Close to the finishing line, SEATOSKY raced tight inside RED IMPACT which in turn raced tight inside HAPPY JAI JAI which was taken in by TURIN WARRIOR as that horse lay in under pressure and proved difficult to ride. Because of this, SEATOSKY was not able to be ridden out all the way to the end of the race. When questioned, H Bentley stated that REGENCY MASTER did not travel strongly at any stage of today’s race and came under pressure at the 700 Metres to maintain its position behind OVER THE MOON. He said despite being vigorously ridden along after this, REGENCY MASTER did not respond to his riding and rounding the Home Turn was already well beaten. He added that based on the manner in which REGENCY MASTER gave ground and was not responding to his riding, he eased the horse down over the latter stages. He said after the race he was not able to detect any reason for REGENCY MASTER’s failure to run on in today’s race. A veterinary inspection of REGENCY MASTER immediately following the race did not show any significant findings. The performance of REGENCY MASTER, which finished at the rear of the field as a last start winner, was considered unacceptable. Before being allowed to race again, REGENCY MASTER will be required to perform to the satisfaction of the Stewards in a barrier trial and be subjected to an official veterinary examination. RED IMPACT, JADE PHOENIX and TURIN WARRIOR were sent for sampling.