Recap by phillip woo

Favourite Telecom Fighters battled back when briefly headed 50m out to just get the win in a track record time after turning the final bend nearly two lengths on top leading from gate seven. It was another game performance after winning two back and he should remain competitive in the grade. The late-fancied Ka Ying Excellent did everything but get the victory after getting all the favours travelling fourth along the fence under Zac Purton. C P Brave ran on nicely travelling midfield on the fence to make it close on the wire. He's made a solid impression in his two starts and should find the winner's circle shortly. Surrealism came from towards the rear to fill the frame without menacing the placegetters. He's racing well but has trouble winning. Smiling City was yielding ground over the last 150m after prompting the early pace from a wide gate. He continues to find it tough off his current mark following a win in mid-January. Amazing News ran on without menacing from towards the rear. The quick back up following a placing last Wednesday over a shorter trip didn't pan out. Punted late, Right Choice disappointed after coming under pressure a long way out following a one-off run in midfield.

Racing Incident Report

Race Three: (702) - MERLIN HANDICAP - Class 3 - 1650Meters

C P BRAVE bumped the outside of its gate on jumping and lost ground.

TELECOM FIGHTERS shifted out at the start and hampered VILLA FIONN.

Then from a wide barrier, VILLA FIONN was shifted across behind runners to obtain cover.

From the outside barrier, CASIMIRO was also steadied in the early stages to obtain cover.

Near the 1550 Metres, AMAZING NEWS was awkwardly placed close to the heels of SURREALISM when being shifted across behind that runner.

Approaching the winning post on the first occasion, VILLA FIONN momentarily raced in restricted room between AMAZING NEWS and CASIMIRO which shifted in.

Rounding the Home Turn, AMAZING NEWS became unbalanced when awkwardly placed close to the heels of C P BRAVE.

When questioned, M L Yeung stated that, from barrier 2, he was instructed to have FEARLESS FIRE racing where it was comfortable.

He said after beginning well he was able to obtain a position behind KA YING EXCELLENT shortly after the start and his mount initially travelled well when the tempo of the race was good.

He said after passing the winning post on the first occasion TELECOM FIGHTERS crossed KA YING EXCELLENT and the pace of the race then slowed noticeably near the 1400 Metres.

He said FEARLESS FIRE commenced to travel keenly which resulted in his mount being very awkwardly placed close to the heels of KA YING EXCELLENT.

He said FEARLESS FIRE then got its head on the side and lay out passing the 1300 Metres when racing close to the heels of KA YING EXCELLENT and as he was no longer able to maintain its position behind that horse, he allowed FEARLESS FIRE to shift out and follow SMILING CITY passing the 1200 Metres.

He added he had intended to maintain the position behind SMILING CITY, however, FEARLESS FIRE continued to prove difficult to settle and shifted out away from the heels of SMILING CITY near the 1100 Metres.

He said the tempo of the race was quite slow in the early stages and therefore after shifting to the outside of SMILING CITY, he elected to allow his mount to improve its position around that horse passing the 1000 Metres.

Having regard to the manner in which FEARLESS FIRE had travelled to that point, he felt that FEARLESS FIRE would be able to improve its position quickly around SMILING CITY without him having to ride his mount along which would allow FEARLESS FIRE the opportunity to race outside the lead.

He said however that FEARLESS FIRE did not quicken as he thought it would, rather gradually improved its position around SMILING CITY.

He said he continued to allow his mount to go forward of SMILING CITY, however, that horse, near the 850 Metres, was ridden along to maintain its position inside FEARLESS FIRE.

He said as he felt that he would have had to make a lot of use of FEARLESS FIRE were he to have ridden his mount forward of SMILING CITY, he elected to remain racing in a three wide position without cover outside that horse.

He added he is aware that FEARLESS FIRE is one-paced and he felt that had he have made use of FEARLESS FIRE to cross SMILING CITY after the 800 Metres, this would not have allowed FEARLESS FIRE the best opportunity to finish off the race.

After considering the circumstances of the race, particularly the fast sectionals of the race in the middle stages, the Stewards advised M L Yeung that they would report his explanation.

When questioned, H Bentley stated that he was aware that SMILING CITY had travelled keenly in some of its races when positioned behind horses.

He said after being instructed to take up a forward position, he was able to shift across to race outside KA YING EXCELLENT after passing the winning post on the first occasion and SMILING CITY got its head up on a number of occasions and travelled keenly.

He said passing the 1000 Metres he became aware that FEARLESS FIRE was commencing to improve its position around SMILING CITY and was mindful that the tempo of the race in the early stages was only fair.

He said as FEARLESS FIRE was taking some time to improve around SMILING CITY rather than improving its position quickly forward of his mount, he was reluctant to allow FEARLESS FIRE to cross SMILING CITY after the 850 Metres as he was concerned that if he did so, that horse would be steadied which could result in SMILING CITY proving difficult to settle and being awkwardly placed behind FEARLESS FIRE which would be detrimental to his mount's chances of finishing off the race.

He said for this reason he commenced to ride SMILING CITY approaching the 800 Metres to maintain his position inside FEARLESS FIRE rather than allow that horse to cross.

He added whilst he was aware that the tempo had quickened significantly during this portion of the race, he remained concerned that it would not be in SMILING CITY's best interests were his mount not to settle after being crossed by FEARLESS FIRE and therefore he elected to continue to ride his mount along after this point to maintain his position to the outside of TELECOM FIGHTERS.

H Bentley was advised that whilst his explanation would be reported, he should be mindful not to give his mounts too much to do in the middle stages of the race so as to allow them the best opportunity to finish off the race in the circumstances.

A veterinary inspection of RIGHT CHOICE and AMAZING NEWS immediately following the race did not show any significant findings.

TELECOM FIGHTERS and KA YING EXCELLENT were sent for sampling.