Celavi leads Clements quinella in Merlion Trophy
Smart Michael Clements-trained mare Celavi (5 g Fighting Sun – In Harmony by Exceed And Excel) bounced back to her best with a much deserved first feature success in the S$110,000 Merlion Trophy (Listed, 1200m) on Saturday, however it was not enough to deny Mark Walker a fourth Singapore Champion trainer title.
Clements, who won the title last year, trails Walker by 65 to 56 with just one meeting remaining of the 2021 season.
However, it was the Michael Clements camp that celebrated big-race success yesterday. At barrier rise, the Louis-Philippe Beuzelin bustled up the $20 chance to first come upsides expected leader Fame Star (Twirling Candy), and then hold the throttle.
Favourite Kharisma (Mossman) was too far back, with the moderate midrace sectionals not helping his cause.
From last place, Gold Star (Redente) was in the same boat. Hooked to the outside, he began his run to the line, but Celavi was never in any real danger of getting pegged back by anyone.
Stablemate Starlight (Headwater) did emerge from the pack at the 300 metres, but tried as he might, he could only cut the margin down to a length and quarter at the post.
Celavi has now taken her record to seven wins, one second and one third for stakes earnings that have exceeded the $300,000 mark for the Celavi Stable.
“It’s great to win the race we have earmarked for Celavi for some time. It’s great when a plan comes together like that,” said Clements.
“We had programmed that race for her for a while. At her last start, she didn’t have the pace but the race brought her on.
“She had an ordinary barrier (10) today, but it was OK. We thought she should be able to get across.
“We knew Fame Star would lead and the plan was to settle in behind Fame Star as we were concerned if she is outpaced.
“It turned out she had the control of the race when Louis pressed on to go forward. We know she is capable of doing it at both ends, but I was a bit anxious she was used up too much.
“But she was strong up the straight, she wasn’t vulnerable at all. She was able to go all the way.
On runner-up Starlight, the trainer added: “Starlight is a promising horse but has been a work in progress. He’s taken a long time to settle down even if he was a Group 2 winner (Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic over 1400m) as a three-year-old.
“Mentally and physically, he still needs some time to improve, but today he showed a lot of merit by coming up with the goods at level weights.
“We knew he needed a strong pace. He could have run in a Class 3 race (two weeks ago), but the pace is not as strong as in a Cup race.
“I’m really excited about his future.”
Celavi is a graduate of the Magic Millions 2YOs in Training sale, having been knocked down to Wattle Bloodstock for $100,000 from the Nolen Racing draft in 2018. He was first traded as a yearling when bought by Moorillah Pastoral for $50,000 from the Grenville Stud draft at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
New champion trainer Mark Walker took the time to thank his supportive owners.
“I’ve not been losing sleep over (the title), to be honest, but it’s great to win it again after all the hard work throughout the year,” said Walker.
“I have to thank my owners and a great team of staff. We must not forget I’m just the captain of the ship and I need a whole crew behind.
“My greatest supporter is now Fortuna Racing, they have more horses (15) than Te Akau (ten) now. All my thanks to John Galvin who has been building up a new stable.”
Sand Box rolls favourites for shocking win
$503 shot Sand Box (Needs Further) scored a blowout win in the Countofmontecristo 2019 Stakes (1400m), the second race on the card.
Unsighted at his five previous starts, be it from the tailend where he normally blends in or at the business end where he fails to make much ground, the Ricardo Le Grange-trained three-year-old was surprisingly prominent getting up on the girth of leader Sunset (Frosted) this time and he subsequently bolted up by three and a half lengths from Bingo Master (Proisir).
Sand Box’s first-time owner Ferdinand Deypalan Dimaisip was greeting his very first winner at Kranji.
Hakim all but secures champion jockey title
Apprentice jockey Hakim Kamaruddin delivered a knock out blow yesterday put the Singapore champion jockeys’ title race to bed on Saturday.
Hakim’s sole challenger, Danny Beasley, had a muted day and by Race 5, when Hakim came along with a well-timed run on the Mark Walker-trained King Arthur (I Am Invincible) for the Fortuna Stable in the $50,000 Spalato 2016 Stakes Class 4 Division 2 (1200m0, with six races remaining, the title was sealed, signed and delivered as race commentator Scott Bailey said, to become the first apprentice jockey to land both titles since Benny Woodworth in 1995.
“To win the senior and junior title at only his second year of riding, it goes to show how very talented Hakim is,” said his master, Walker.
“I’ve supported him from day one, just like for my other apprentice jockeys, whether it’s now or in the past. I give them every opportunity, some make it, some don’t.
“There is potentially so much more improvement to come out of Hakim. That’s why I’m sending him to New Zealand where the opportunity to ride for Te Akau all around the country will be the making of him.”