Recap by phillip woo

We The South jumped on top, cornered near two lengths on top and just held off the late surge of Farm Bumper to land a gambling move. He was suited by the return to the speed favouring oval with a gear change to the hood and crossed nose band at only his fourth start. Farm Bumper finished well after a rail run in midfield to just miss. He's run very well in his past three starts following a switch to the Valley 1,000m. Daily Delight finished well from near last to fill a placing after a slow start. He's heading in the right direction after showing promise in his opening three runs. Goko kept on one-paced after getting all the favours in the box-seat. It was a better effort at his second start in this grade. Favourite Winning Ways ran on steadily without ever looking a threat after peeling off the heels of Look Eras near the 100m following a one-off run behind midfield. Look Eras was yielding ground over the final 150m after stalking the leader.

Racing Incident Report

Race Five: (597) - IRIS HANDICAP - Class 4 - 1000Meters

GOUTEN OF GARO shifted in at the start, resulting in FARM BUMPER being crowded onto GOKO which was bumped by FARM BUMPER and became unbalanced.

WE THE SOUTH and LOOK ERAS bumped on jumping.

DAILY DELIGHT was crowded for room on jumping between BEAUT BEAUT and DIAMOND PEGASUS which shifted in.

After this, from a wide barrier, DAILY DELIGHT was shifted across behind runners.

From the outside barrier, FORTUNE HERO was steadied in the early stages and shifted across behind runners to obtain cover.

When racing wide near the 800 Metres, ISLAND WINNER was steadied to obtain cover.

Approaching the 250 Metres, WINNING WAYS momentarily raced tight between FARM BUMPER and GOUTEN OF GARO which shifted in.

GOUTEN OF GARO then raced tight outside WINNING WAYS near the 150 Metres as WINNING WAYS was shifted to the outside of LOOK ERAS.

Near the 50 Metres, DAILY DELIGHT, which was closing off the race, was shifted out from behind WE THE SOUTH and FARM BUMPER in order to be ridden out all the way to the end of the race.

Throughout the race, DIAMOND PEGASUS travelled wide and without cover.

After the race, M F Poon stated that BEAUT BEAUT did not feel comfortable in its action in the early stages, however, its action improved as the race progressed.

A veterinary inspection of BEAUT BEAUT immediately following the race including an endoscopic examination showed a substantial amount of blood in the horse's trachea.

Before being allowed to race again, BEAUT BEAUT will be subjected to an official veterinary examination.

Mr P O'Sullivan, the trainer of MEHBOOB, stated that as the horse had closed off a race strongly over the course and distance when ridden from behind the speed, from a wide barrier tonight, he instructed M Chadwick to shift the horse across behind runners in the early stages and obtain a position in about midfield or slightly worse if possible.

A veterinary inspection of MEHBOOB immediately following the race found that horse to have blood at the left nostril.

An endoscopic examination of MEHBOOB confirmed the horse to be a bleeder.

When questioned regarding the improved performance of WE THE SOUTH, Mr J Moore, the trainer of the horse, stated that at its most recent start the horse had weakened over the concluding stages after travelling too strongly during the early and middle stages.

He said after the horse was withdrawn due to a barrier issue at its last intended run, he had barrier trialed the horse on two occasions and, in his opinion these trials were satisfactory.

He said in tonight's race he believed that WE THE SOUTH had benefited by being able to take up the lead without having to be ridden along and by then being able to relax in the middle stages which allowed the horse the opportunity to finish off the race.

He said whilst he anticipated that WE THE SOUTH would improve on its most recent start, he did not expect the horse to be a winning chance, particularly given the fact that the horse sweated up in the Parade Ring prior to the race.

WINNING WAYS, WE THE SOUTH and FARM BUMPER were sent for sampling.