Cheval Blanc outstays rivals in downpour
The weather gods were not smiling but the racing gods were for the happy connections of Cheval Blanc (Red Jazz) in the SGP$50,000 Class 4 race over 1600 metres on the Polytrack yesterday.
A weather delay – lightning – earlier in the day had the third race put back ten minutes, but the deluge before the horses went to the starters for the penultimate race of the day was biblical.
So much so, race caller Pat Comerford was relying on some guesswork down the back straight before the only grey in the field, Cheval Blanc, made his job a tad easier in the last 100 metres with a burst to get up in a busy finish by half-a-length.
He beat the gallant Axel (Darci Brahma) into second place with Born To Win (Haradasun) just over another length away in third place. The winning time was 1 min 39.3 secs.
The win was especially pleasing for his trainer, Stephen Gray, given the issues the Irish-bred seven-year-old has had to overcome.
“The staff did a good job looking after him,” Gray explained to racing presenter Scott Bailey.
“He will never be as good as he could be because of his issues (lameness), but he’s sound at the moment and can put in a good race, which he did.
“It was terrible conditions for the jockeys but it helps that he’s a natural stayer – he got in the clear and kept going. He liked the rain!”
Gray was also very complimentary of the owners of Cheval Blanc from the Team Cheval Stable.
“Good owners, good people. Good supporters of the industry – Eric (Koh) and (his wife) Lay Chin – they kept supporting the local racing and that’s what has kept us going the last two years.”
The heavy rain did not stop connections from greeting the winning horse and jockey when they returned to scale, albeit under the cover of the massive grandstand.
“Oh wow,” said Koh, manager of the Team Cheval Stable.
“Halfway through (the race), I didn’t think he would stay, but he stuck on, then he came back very good – I’m very happy!”
Bailey also spoke with a drenched – but happy – Lerner in the weighing room after photos with the happy connections.
“He tries hard,” said the well-spoken Frenchman.
“When he feels good on the day, he can always win a race like this.
“Stephen was a bit concerned about the 1600 metres – dropping back in distance but we got a good run behind the pace and he just fought on.
“He can stay all day. I’m just happy that he wins because he has had his issues and also for connections who were here.”
The win – Cheval Blanc’s second from 15 starts in Singapore – brought his total stake earnings to more than SGP$104,000 for the Team Cheval Stable.
Earlier in the day, it was another horse with issues, Mighty Vain (Safeguard), who provided a highlight in sheer perseverance for his connections – Toast Trusts and J. Ho Stable – by breaking his maiden at start number 21.
The Australian-bred five-year-old had bleeding issues – and unfortunately bled again on Saturday – but despite his troubles, has placed nine times from 20 career starts.
So while the celebrations were somewhat muted given the post-race circumstance, his trainer, Stephen Crutchley was pleased Mighty Vain finally got his win.
“I’m very happy today, Ronnie (Stewart) rode him well and he got the right result. Great.” said the New Zealand handler.
“He trialled so well that we expected a lot from him today, and it’s turned out that way.”
Mighty Vain beat the improving Lim’s Puncak Jaya (Pure Champion) by half-a-length with Kranji Jewel (First Samurai) a further two lengths back in third. The winning time was 1 min 23.03secs in the SGP$20,000 Open Maiden race over 1400 metres on the Short Course.
Elsewhere on the card, jockey Manoel Nunes continued his red-hot streak with another four winners. Two apprentice riders in Hakim Kamaruddin and Rosman Iskandar both had fruitful days with doubles.
The training honours went to Donna Logan with a treble, and her trio of winners kept her golden run of winning form going. Desmond Koh was the only other trainer to lead in more than one winner with Sun Ace (Street Cry) and Sun Rectitude (Sepoy) – both for the Sun Bloodstock Racing Stable.
Deception the first winner for Hakim in 2022
Boom apprentice jockey Hakim Kamaruddin opened his 2022 account with Deception (I Am Invincible) in the SGP$75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200 metres.
For good measure, the dual Singapore champion jockey went on to ride a double aboard Diamond Ring (Super Easy) in the SGP$30,000 Class 5 Division 2 race (1100m) three races later. Both horses are handled by his master trainer Donna Logan.
Unlike his first two seasons at Kranji where he got off to a flyer at the kick-off meetings, it has taken the talented young rider five meetings to find the line this year.
Then again, he did not have a smooth start to the season.
He went missing earlier in the year following a three-month suspension for hitting Motakhayyel (Snitzel) – now renamed as Xanthos – on the head in a race at the end of last year. He returned home to Kelantan for a much-needed break before making his comeback this April.
“After coming back from Kelantan, I think my fitness was not as good as before,” said Hakim, who was crowned both the Singapore champion jockey and apprentice jockey in 2021 (59 winners).
“I tested positive for Covid-19 in Kelantan and also a second time here about a month ago, but I felt okay.
“I took some time to finally get a winner, and now a double, so I’m very happy.
“Thank you very much to Donna for her support, and I hope I can have more support from other trainers now.”
The 24-year-old could have been anxious to prove himself given he was the only apprentice jockey to be given a six-month licence this year, but he still showed plenty of patience on Deception before launching the final assault at the 300-metre pole.
After tracking up the leaders Watery (Showcasing), The Star (Hallowed Crown) and Dixit Dominus (Dissident) in the run, the three-year-old swept to the front once Hakim peeled him out at the top of the straight.
The SGP$15 favourite strode past the pack to score, one-and-a-half-lengths ahead of runner-up Watery. Debutant Sousui (Mikki Isle) snuck up on the rails to finish third another half-a-length away.
The winning time was 1min 10.39secs for the 1200 metres on the Short Course.
Hakim, whose riding claim has dropped to one kilogram this year after he rode his 80th career winner aboard Eagle Eye (Pure Prize) on November 27, thought a good barrier and fitness helped Deception win the race.
“He is fresh this time, and he put in a very good run,” said the Kelantan-born rider.
“The horse is very fit. He travelled very nice and in the straight, he was very strong to the line.
“Donna said put him in third or fourth (position) because he had a very good barrier (4).
“I ride him in trackwork, and he is easy to ride.”
Logan was full of praise for the young lad and the consistent galloper from Fortuna NZ Racing Stable at the winner’s circle.
“Hakim has this natural ability and horses just run for him,” said Logan, who took over Hakim’s indentureship after Mark Walker left Kranji in December.
“We are lucky to have a rider of his calibre in Singapore. Hakim rode him a treat today.
“We discussed the race this morning and everything was planned out beautifully.
“This horse has shown a lot of promise for quite some time. I have a lot of time for him, he has a really good temperament.
“We got him up to the mile the last time (in a similar Restricted Maiden race on March 26), but he probably got a bit tired then.
“I always thought the further he went, the better he gets, but he’s got six races in a short span of time (two months from January to March this year).
“So, the break did him a whole world of good. Well done to the Fortuna NZ Racing stable too.
“I’ll talk with (principal owner) John Galvin who manages Fortuna NZ and make a plan from there, but I think there’s more in store for him.”
With that first win from three seconds and three thirds in seven starts, Deception has earned more than SGP$105,000 in prize-money for connections.
Besides Deception and Diamond Ring, Reignite (Sebring) came from behind to score in the SGP$50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race (1200m), handing Logan a hat-trick of wins on Saturday.
She now sits fourth on the trainers’ premiership on 18 winners, eight behind the current leader, Tim Fitzsimmons, who bagged one winner in Gold Ten Sixty-One (Dalghar) in the last race of the day, the Class 4 race over 1100 metres.