Recap by phillip woo

Sky King settled fourth along the fence, peeled out four deep at the 250m and finished well to just get up by a whisker in a blanket finish. Winston's Lad settled one off the fence behind midfield, swung the final bend six deep and closed off strongly to make it a bob of heads on the wire. Aerospeed eased back to settled three back and one off the fence, rounded the final bend five deep and finished willingly to make it close on the wire. Favourite Beauty Kingdom held the fence in second underneath initial leader Hard Ball Get and then Joyful Moments 750m out, stayed to the inside upon straightening and kept plugging away to hold onto a Quartet spot. Ka Ying Kid made his run beyond midfield and one off the fence, pushed near widest out at the 220m and finished well to just miss a Quartet spot. Joyful Moments punched forward without cover to lead 750m out, cornered a length on top and was swamped 50m out.

Racing Incident Report

Race Seven: (731)-LAPIS LAZULI HANDICAP (Sec1) - Class 3 - 1400Metres

As the start was effected, MODERN TSAR turned its head to the right and consequently began awkwardly and lost ground.

Before being allowed to race again, MODERN TSAR will be required to perform satisfactorily in a stalls test.

Also as the start was effected, RAGING BULL became fractious and lifted its front feet off the ground, resulting in the horse being slow to begin.

Before being allowed to race again, RAGING BULL will be required to perform satisfactorily in a stalls test.

GOLDEN SUN was slow to begin.

Shortly after the start, KA YING KID got its head up when being steadied to obtain cover.

From wide barriers, GOAL FOR GOLD and COLOSSUS were steadied in the early stages and shifted across behind runners.

When being steadied after the 1300 Metres, HARD BALL GET commenced to travel keenly and proved difficult to restrain.

After the 1000 Metres, BEAUTY KINGDOM travelled keenly.

Making the turn near the 900 Metres, HARD BALL GET, which was continuing to travel keenly, was steadied away from the heels of JOYFUL MOMENTS which shifted in.

Approaching the 800 Metres, GOAL FOR GOLD got its head up when awkwardly placed behind KA YING KID.

Near the 250 Metres, HARD BALL GET was steadied away from the heels of SKY KING (O Doleuze) after being taken out by that horse which shifted ground.

O Doleuze was advised that in similar circumstances he would be expected to make more of an effort to keep his mounts straight than he did on this occasion.

AEROSPEED and WINSTON'S LAD, which were racing outside HARD BALL GET, shifted out away from that horse in this incident.

Throughout the race, COLOSSUS travelled wide and without cover.

When questioned, T H So (LAUGH OUT LOUD) stated that, from barrier 13, he had been instructed to shift the horse across behind runners and obtain a position in midfield with cover.

He said he was asked to ride the horse in this manner as over the 1200 Metres last start LAUGH OUT LOUD had finished off the race strongly to only be narrowly beaten when ridden off the speed due to the circumstances of that race.

He said in accordance with his instructions he shifted LAUGH OUT LOUD across behind runners soon after the start but then had to ride his mount vigorously for some distance in the early stages as LAUGH OUT LOUD was becoming detached from the main body of the field.

He added after the 1200 Metres he had to use the whip on the horse on a number of occasions in order to ensure that it did not get too far out of its ground.

He said however that LAUGH OUT LOUD did not travel well at any stage of the race and then did not close off.

A veterinary inspection of RAGING BULL immediately following the race did not show any significant findings, however, the horse was unable to be scoped due to being fractious.

BEAUTY KINGDOM, SKY KING and WINSTON'S LAD were sent for sampling.