Hayes insists All Thrills Too is fighting fit after pre-race check

Championship pacemaker David Hayes has become the first trainer to fall under tighter pre-race scrutiny from the Jockey Club vets following Wednesday night's late-scratching debacle.

The Hayes-trained All Thrills Too, a runner in tonight's featured American Club Challenge Cup at Sha Tin, was inspected separately by two vets yesterday.

All Thrills Too, who is sure to carry a great deal of public support, was examined by Dr W. H. Chan, who reported he had noted a small bruise on the horse's near-forefoot on Tuesday. He said yesterday's official pre-race inspection of the horse revealed no soreness in that area and that the horse was 'trotting sound'.

Dr Chan passed All Thrills Too, adding that the farrier had shod the horse on both front feet with protective padding. That pre-race inspection was seconded by Dr P. J. Schiff.

Hayes, who has eight winners and leads the title race by three, last night scoffed at any suggestion that the four-year-old would be below his best. 'All Thrills Too had a very small crack in his foot, but he has been at the track every day,' Hayes said. 'I think after what happened on Wednesday night that the Club is being ultra-careful. All Thrills Too ran 21.6 seconds on the track on Saturday and he's just a narrow sort of horse, so I didn't give him too much to do for a couple of days after that. Maybe that made them think he was nursing a problem.'

Even tighter pre-race checks were promised in the wake of the controversial withdrawal of I Win on Wednesday. The gelding was scratched at the barriers with suspensory ligament trouble despite having been passed fit to run the day before.