21/09/2008  Shatin  Race 2

GALLANT MASER and COULDN’T CARE LESS were slow to begin. At the 1100 Metres, SUPREME DRAGON was steadied away from the heels of GALLANT MASTER. After the 1100 Metres, WINBO got its head up and raced ungenerously when being steadied away from the heels of ROCKET AND GOLD which at this time was coming back to obtain a position with cover behind SUPREME DRAGON. In the Straight, JUGGERNAUT hung out. When questioned regarding the poor performance of ROCKET AND GOLD, B Prebble said the horse’s work in the lead up to the race had been good. He said ROCKET AND GOLD began better than it often does and travelled kindly in the early stages. He said after the 1100 Metres when he was travelling wide and without cover, he came back to obtain a position behind SUPREME DRAGON and ROCKET AND GOLD continued to travel satisfactorily. He said at the 700 Metres when LOHAN, which was racing forward of him to his inside, shifted away from the rail slightly, ROCKET AND GOLD got its head on the side and dropped the bit. He said in the early part of the Straight when placed under pressure ROCKET AND GOLD responded fairly to his riding, however, over the final 200 Metres failed to finish the race off. ROCKET AND GOLD was sent for an official veterinary inspection. A veterinary inspection of ROCKET AND GOLD after the race did not show any significant findings. LOHAN, TRIUMPH and SUPREME DRAGON were sent for sampling.