Recap by phillip woo

Diamond King just held on after surging to the front 160m out following a handy run one off the fence. He lived up to his terrific fresh form off a break. Volitation kept on gamely after holding the fence sharing the lead with Big Fortune to scrape home second best. Villa Fionn finished well despite repeatedly bumping with favourite California Joy in the drive following a midfield run to get the bob down for third. He's a winner waiting to happen. Big Fortune grudgingly gave way after doing the donkey work narrowly in front outside Volitation to just miss a placing. The interference in the drive with Villa Fionn might have taken some of the sting out of the legs of the top-weighted favourite California Joy following a one-off run in midfield. In the end, he was still only beaten a half length for all the marbles and a win isn't far off. High Spirit made good ground late down the outside after travelling second last from the widest gate in his best run to date.

Racing Incident Report

Race Eleven: (723) - THE RACING CLUB HANDICAP - Class 3 - 1400Meters

SWEET LEADER was slow to begin.

BLAZING PARTNERS began awkwardly.

DIAMOND KING and CALIFORNIA JOY bumped shortly after the start.

When being steadied to obtain cover from a wide barrier, GONNA RUN was bumped by KEEP WINNING shortly after the start.

From wide barriers, SONIC FIGHTER, HIGH SPIRIT and FLYING QUEST were all shifted across behind runners in the early stages.

Passing the 1200 Metres, BLAZING PARTNERS was awkwardly placed outside the heels of VILLA FIONN which shifted out marginally.

Passing the 500 Metres CALIFORNIA JOY was steadied away from the heels of KEEP WINNING.

Then after the 500 Metres, CALIFORNIA JOY was shifted away from behind KEEP WINNING which came under pressure.

Also passing the 500 Metres, FLYING QUEST was shifted in away from the heels of MCMUNIGAL.

KEEP WINNING gave ground abruptly upon straightening, resulting in FLYING QUEST being severely checked away from the heels of that horse for some distance after the 400 Metres.

Near the 250 Metres, K C Leung (SONIC FIGHTER) momentarily lost the use of his whip.

Throughout the race, KEEP WINNING travelled wide and without cover.

The Stewards deferred the declaration of weighed-in as they were of the view that incidents occurred after the 250 Metres which cast doubt on whether VILLA FIONN (C Schofield) should be declared the 3rd placegetter.

These incidents involved VILLA FIONN and CALIFORNIA JOY (N Callan), the 5th placegetter.

It was established that passing the 300 Metres VILLA FIONN shifted out and bumped CALIFORNIA JOY, resulting in that horse becoming unbalanced and that approaching the 200 Metres VILLA FIONN shifted out and again made slight contact with CALIFORNIA JOY.

It was further established that near the 150 Metres CALIFORNIA JOY shifted in and bumped VILLA FIONN.

Having regard to these incidents and the manner in which both horses finished off the race, the Stewards did not believe it was appropriate to proceed to a formal protest/objection hearing and accordingly weighed-in was semaphored on the numbers semaphored by the Judge.

N Callan did not lodge a protest/objection in respect of these incidents.

C Schofield was reprimanded for permitting VILLA FIONN to shift out passing the 300 Metres which initiated the contact between the two horses.

After the race, an endoscopic examination of SWEET LEADER found that horse to be a "roarer??and to have a substantial amount of mucus in its trachea.

CALIFORNIA JOY, DIAMOND KING and VOLITATION were sent for sampling.

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GENERAL:

1.

After the running of Race 3, the track classification was officially changed from "Good??to "Good to Firm?? This change in the opinion of the Stewards should be recorded as being retrospective.

As a consequence of this, the official results will show Race 3 being run on a track rated "Good to Firm??

2.

Additional Veterinary Reports from Happy Valley Racemeeting on 6 June 2018 Subsequent official veterinary inspections (without endoscopy) of ASSOCIATION FANS, WONDERFUL TIGER, SUPER CHIC, MCQUEEN, LETSGOFREE, FANTASTIC FABIO, CARRY TO WIN, BEAUT BEAUT, LUCKY LUCKY, SICHUAN BOSS, MULTIGOGO, TEN FLAMES, TOP SCORE, FORMULA GALORE, HEALTHY LUCK, DRAGON PIONEER, LUCKY TIME, PRETTY BAUHINIA and FRIENDS OF KA YING revealed no apparent abnormality.

3.

Racing laboratory tests of HAPPY SOUND, MASSIVE MILLENNIUM, SKY TREASURE, CLOUD NINE, HAY RUN, SHIMMER AND SHINE, AMAZING MOMENT, GRAND HARBOUR, DR PROACTIVE, FLYING GODSPELL, MASTER BERNINI, HOUSE OF LUCK, MARVEL JOY, INFINITY ENDEAVOUR, ALMABABY, SPEEDY KING, GO PUBLIC, GLORIOUS ARTIST and HANG'S DECISION (30.5.18) proved negative.

SUMMARY:

1.

Withdrawals Race 2: JOLLY AMBER (standby runner) on 9.6.18 on veterinary advice.

Race 5: E MASTER on 9.6.18 on veterinary advice.

Race 10: PEARL CHAMPION on 7.6.18 by order of the Stewards.

BEAUTY DAY on 9.6.18 on veterinary advice.

2.

Fine Race 7: K Teetan (IMPERIAL CONCORDE): $5,000 for dropping his whip in races for the 4th occasion this season.

3.

Severe Reprimand Race 5: C Y Ho (DOUBLE DOWN) for using the whip on the horse when it was clearly out of contention.

4.

Reprimands Race 8: Apprentice C Wong (C P POWER) for shifting in shortly after the start.

Race 9: T Berry (GREAT PROFIT) for shifting in approaching the 1200 Metres.

Race 11: C Schofield (VILLA FIONN) for shifting out passing the 300 Metres.

5.

Warning Race 2: A Sanna (SOCCER BRAVE) for repeatedly hitting his mounts down the shoulder with the whip.

6.

Stewards' Inquiry Race 11

7.

Irregular Heart Rhythms Race 2: HAPPY BEAUTY Race 5: LONDON MASTER

8.

Barrier Trials Race 2: WINNINGLI HAPPY BEAUTY Race 4: IMPERIAL GALLANTRY Race 5: LONDON MASTER Race 7: MAGIC POWER BEST REWARD Race 8: DIAMOND DRAGON

9.

Official Veterinary Examinations Race 2: JOLLY AMBER WINNINGLI HAPPY BEAUTY Race 5: E MASTER LONDON MASTER Race 7: MAGIC POWER BEST REWARD Race 10: BEAUTY DAY BOSSIEE FRESH POWER