Aramaayo takes Raffles Cup in a thriller
Kranji Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Aramaayo (Poet’s Voice) bounced back to his brilliant best with a stirring second Group 1 success in Saturday’s S$400,000 Raffles Cup (Gr 1, 1600m).
After his Kranji Mile heroics in August, Shane Baertschiger’s former Australian Group 3 Godolphin winner (Spring Stakes over 1600m at Newcastle in 2018) naturally figured among the leading hopes in the Singapore Derby (Gr 1, 1800m) on September 5, but unsuited by a slow tempo, he could only muster a watered down version of his trademark turn of foot for a battling fifth place to Top Knight (Zoustar).
This time around, Aramaayo dropped out to the tail of the field, but midrace, they crawled again. Luckily, regular partner Ruan Maia (who first got on him in the Kranji Mile) has a clock in his head and took his own initiative to improve through the field, with the result that Aramaayo did not have that big a task to reel in the leaders on the swing.
To Baertschiger, that was the tactical nous that only very good jockeys have and can make the difference between winning and losing.
“The pace was too slow in the Derby, and he overraced. Today I told Maia to drop back, he’s better ridden back,” said Baertschiger.
“It was a brilliant ride from Maia. When they slowed up the pace, he made the right decision to improve inside runners.
“I was happy where he was throughout. I was not worried he was still around three lengths behind in the straight as I know he can finish it off, and he was too good.”
The leading pack Aramaayo had to gun down turned out to be the Lee Freedman trio of Sun Marshal (Sepoy), Minister (Street Sense) and Loyalty Man (Fastnet Rock), who led the way. Prominent throughout the first Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series, they were locking horns for a Freedman trifecta at the 300m, but that dream result was short lived as two swoopers came descending thick and fast via two opposite paths.
Keen as usual to fill that glaring Group 1 gap on his resume, second favourite Countofmontecristo (Echoes Of Heaven) was quickening like a winner on the outside while Maia, sharp as a tack when he observed the doors closing in front of him, elected to duck back to the inside rails for his equally stinging assault on Aramaayo.
The final upshot was a cliffhanger befitting of a Group 1 feature like the Raffles Cup, very much in the same mould as last year’s blanket finish captured by Makanani (Black Tide).
Sun Marshal boxed on doggedly in the middle, Countofmontecristo lunged on the outside, but it was the ‘sneaker’ Aramaayo who gained the judge’s verdict by a head on the inside. Sun Marshal just got the bob by a nose from Countofmontecristo while Minister wilted a touch inside the last 150m to take fourth place another half-length away, a head from stablemate Loyalty Man.
Firmed at S$28, Aramaayo ran a moderate 1min 36.28secs for the mile on the Short Course, which was, given the pedestrian first-half of the race, unsurprisingly almost three seconds slower than his timing in the Kranji Mile.
Baertschiger was over the moon with his fourth Group 1 success, with the first coming with Aramco (Magic Albert) in last year’s Lion City Cup (Gr 1, 1200m) followed by I’m Incredible (Lope De Vega) in last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr 1, 1800m), incidentally the next feature in his crosshairs for Aramaayo.
The Group 1 race over 1800m on October 31 is the second Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series with the third Leg, the Singapore Gold Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) due on November 21.
“I was very confident after his barrier trial last week. He dropped back and cruised to the line (for third to Sun Marshal),” said Baertschiger.
“They went slow today, he ran three seconds outside his Kranji Mile time, but he was still too good. He will now run in both the QEII Cup and the Gold Cup.
“The 2000m of the Gold Cup is not a problem for him. He’s run up to 2400m in Australia.”
Maia paid tribute to Baertschiger for his clever tactical switch, which he said was the masterstroke to the successful result.
“Well done to Shane. He made a change of plans today, he told me that he was ridden back in Australia, and to do the same here,” said the in-form Brazilian jockey.
“In the 1800m race (Derby), he jumped well but over-raced because the pace was too slow. If he had jumped too quick today, it would’ve been difficult to hold him.
“But he stayed quiet and I was able to drop him at the back. The plan was to be in the last three, but I was a bit afraid when they slowed down the pace.
“That’s why I started to come into the race from the 800m as it’s the Short Course, and I didn’t want to come in too late at the finish.
“In the straight, Sun Marshal rolled off and I had no room to go through. That’s why I tried the inside and he got there in time.
“I’m so happy I won my second Group 1 race in Singapore (after Kranji Mile).”
After saluting one race earlier aboard Muraahib (Reset) Maia went on to make it a hat-trick of wins in the last three races on the 11-race programme, with Yulong Fast Steed (Exceed And Excel) taking out the Lucky Last, the $50,000 Better Than Ever Stakes, a Class 4 Division 2 race over 1100m.
With three-time Singapore champion jockey Vlad Duric – unplaced aboard a disappointing Top Knight (Zoustar) in the Raffles Cup – scoring only one win aboard Fast And Fearless Iffraaj) – the gap between him and Maia, his main challenger, has been cut back to seven winners (54 versus 47).
Maia was again not fussing over the title fight, even if the two-time Macau champion jockey would definitely grab the ultimate reward with both hands if it came his way.
“Like I said before, I don’t think about that. I respect Vlad a lot, he’s a very good jockey and more importantly, he’s a very good person,” said Maia.
“I just let things happen naturally. If the champion title comes, then it’ll be nice, but it’s not what keeps me going every day.”
With that third win from nine starts, Aramaayo has seen his prizemoney record bulge further to hit around the S$900,000 mark for the Aramco Stable.
Muraahib finds the line again
Model of consistency Muraahib (Reset) turned up for a third Kranji victory in the S$85,000 Always Certain 2011 Stakes Class 2 race over 1200m.
The Lee Freedman-trained galloper has certainly done a sterling job maintaining a glowing record of never finishing worse than fourth in 13 starts, eight of them coming as placegetters for the Oscar Racing Stable.
A former four-time winner for trainers David Hayes and Tom Dabernig in Melbourne, the six-year-old has already proven to be a handy money spinner at his new hunting ground, having now chalked up prize cheques toting up to around S$225,000 for Oscar’s Mr Phua Chian Kin.
With regular partner of late A’Isisuhairi Kasim suspended for careless riding, Ruan Maia stepped into the irons and showed yet another polished display.
Frontrunner Aramani (Zoustar) took up the running, but was no match when Muraahib came collaring him at the 300m. Star Of Jupiter (I Am Invincible) did give the Freedman camp a scare when he burst out of the pack, lengthening up with a dashing turn of speed, but Muraahib was not to be outdone as he kept finding to prevail by a neck.
Aramani held on gamely for third place another length and a quarter away, just staving off Beau Geste (Street Cry) who came from last to grab fourth place another neck away.
Backed down to S$12 favouritism, Muraahib clocked the smart time of 1min 9.28secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
“He’s a very honest and consistent horse, he’s been a terrific horse to the stable,” said Freedman.
“Maia got the chance to ride him today and he made no mistake. He was on the right horse.
“Muraahib won’t run again until the EW Barker Trophy. That’s the race I have in mind for him, he’s already well placed for that race.”
The EW Barker Trophy (Gr 2, 1400m) is a handicap feature due in a little bit over a month’s time on November 15.
Singapore’s premier sprint, the Lion City Cup Gr 1, 1200m) comes up in a fortnight on October 25, but Freedman is leaning more towards the EW Barker Trophy, even if Muraahib now boasts two wins over six furlongs.
“Maybe not the Lion City. I already have Mr Malek and Excelling in that race,” said Freedman.
“I tend to fancy Muraahib more at the 1400m, but things may change.”
Relentless in rampant form second-up
Relentless (Hallowed Crown) came up with a storming run to land the spoils in the S$75,000 Debt Collector 2018 Stakes, a Restricted Maiden race over 1200m.
Unfancied at S$99, the three-year-old incidentally picked up a S$10,000 sales credit from Magic Millions, a bonus which trainer Tim Fitzsimmons was very happy with.
“I knew about the bonus and it’s great for the Arexevan-Relentless Stable. It’ll come in handy when they go to the Magic Millions sales,” said the second-year Australian handler, who was bringing up his third winner for the season.
“It’s Peter Twomey who bought this horse for me at the Inglis Ready-To-Run last year. I then had the Arexevan boys come on board.
“It’s great I trained my first winner for the Arexevan Stable, we go back a long way since their days with (trainer) Cliff (Brown). My first runner Petite Voix was for them as well.
“They have just the one horse with me for the time being. I hope more will follow soon.
“I’ve always had a high opinion of Relentless. He was a bit immature and has taken a bit of time.
“He was mentally not quite there at his debut (August 8 when seventh to Be You). I gave him a break and he has come on from that run.
“He was also too close to the pace at his first race. He is better off ridden away and quiet, and he can finish it off like he did today.
“The race panned out very well for him. They went really quick in front and it suited him nicely.”
Indeed, unsighted for most of the way, Relentless in the conspicuous Arexevan orange silks was the fastest closer when angled to the outside. Pinning his ears back, he gobbled up the ground in brilliant style to finish over the top of his rivals.
Fitzsimmons also had the well-backed Ace Sovereign (Darci Brahma) in the race, but contrary to his stablemate who dropped off to a nice relaxed run at the rear, the gelding plotted a wider course throughout to eventually run fourth two and a quarter lengths off the winner.
“I thought he would run very well, but he had a hard race three to four wide. He still ran on well,” said his handler.
Newcomer The Archer (Wandjina), who had been neglected in the betting compared to the other Falcon Stable debutant Beyond Compared (I Am Invincible), was being hailed the winner – and looking all poised to give trainer Alwin Tan his 500th career winner milestone – when he took the shortcuts home upon straightening to hit the lead, but was swamped late to settle for second, one and a quarter lengths away.
Donna Logan’s Beyond Compared’s less fancied stable companion and fellow debutant Golden Sprint (Contributer) grabbed third place another nose away. The winning time was 1min 11.81secs for the 1200m on Polytrack.
Fitzsimmons helms only a small-scale operation with 20 horses, but Brown’s former assistant-trainer could not complain with the way things have evolved since his quiet debut (winless) in April 2019.
“I have mostly new horses. When I get a spot for them, they are up against higher-rated horses,” he said.
“They need more racing experience. Things would have been different if we still raced twice a week.
“For example, Relentless should have raced on September 26, but he got pushed back to today.
“I’m still happy with the way my horses have been running as I’ve had many placings. I hope things can only improve from now on.”
Big outsider Kiwi Kid lands first win for Uruguay in Singapore
A small chapter of Singapore’s rich racing history was written on the card when Kiwi Kid (British Medium) became the first Uruguayan-bred horse to win in Singapore.
While the name can be misleading, Kiwi Kid was born and bred in the South American country, which most people would tend to associate with football maybe, but not horse racing. After all, Uruguay are both the first hosts and winners of the first football World Cup ever held (1930).
It turned out that Uruguay has quite a thriving horse racing industry, and lo and behold, it does have a tiny Singapore presence in its midst!
The Nova Racing Stable, better remembered for its Polytrack speedster Nova Swiss (Swiss Ace), races some horses there, hence the arrival of Kiwi Kid to our shores last year.
Trainer Jason Ong himself had never heard of their racing, but when the local outfit, who already had Limited Edition (Perfectly Ready) with the second-year Singaporean handler, told him about training Kiwi Kid, the chance to have such an exotic horse under his charge was too hot to resist.
“Nova Racing is already established with a few horses in Uruguay. They have a bloodstock agent there as well,” said Ong.
“One day, they told me they had a one-time Uruguay winner they thought would be good for Singapore and asked me if I’d like to train him.
“The answer was yes right away! All I know is he is a sprinter and won one race over 1000m, I think, on the all-weather there, but I thought it’d be interesting to train a horse from that country.
“The Nova Racing people have supported me from Day 1, and I’m glad I’ve got a win out of this horse for them.
“I really wanted this horse to win a race for them. He didn’t show much at his first four starts, and after his last run in the last week of July, I spoke to the connections and decided to give him a short spell.
“After his long trip from Uruguay, he was a real hothead and took some time to settle down. He was lacking in race experience.
“He’s come on after the spell. I put blinkers on at his trial and he went really well with them.
“Still, today, with I Am Sacred in the race, it was very hard to be confident in his chances, but he came out really well, and Joseph See rode a very patient race on him.”
Indeed, Kiwi Kid, following his bland runs, was ignored in the market to start at mammoth odds of S$578, but his Singaporean jockey rode him like he was the best horse in the race.
Positive from barrier rise, the “Uniquely Uruguayan” kept on from his middle barrier to go and sit on the girth of race-leader Winning Spirit (Itsmyluckyday).
When favourite I Am Sacred (I Am Invincible) loomed on the outside at the top of the straight, most thought the race was a foregone conclusion, especially as the horse thought to be his main danger, Sea Dragon (Street Boss) was vanishing out of sight.
But Kiwi Kid, who had in the meantime hit the front in the home straight, surprisingly did not throw in the towel, dug in his heels to score by half-a-length from Winning Legend (Spirit Of Boom) with Lim’s Knight (Kaphero) third another short head away. The winning time was 1min 4.83secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
I Am Sacred, a previous two-time winner from three starts, had every chance, but did not fire a shot when the chips were down to run seventh, around two lengths off Kiwi Kid.
Now that Uruguay has opened the scoring (and it’s not with a ball) in Singapore with its first racing pioneer, a new market could be shimmering in the horizon. Given it lies just between Argentina and Brazil, two Latin American countries that have supplied many horses to Singapore over the years, especially the former, the shipping logistics should not be much different.
“I’m not sure how Kiwi Kid was shipped over as Nova took care of everything,” said Ong.
“I think he had to transit in quarantine more than twice, but it was certainly worth the experiment.”