Flying Fasuba back on top
Irish import Fasuba (Power) racked up his ninth victory in Macau with a splendid win in Friday night’s Class 1 & 2 over 1050 metres on the sand.
Fired out of the gates by five-pound claimer Eric Cheung, Fasuba quickly took command and led under a hold with Fortune Treasure (Shogo Nakano) hot on his tail. Once in the home straight the Irish flyer was let loose and raced away for a two and a quarter length victory over Fortune Treasure (Dalakhani) with Striking Achiever (Lonhro) back in third.
Fasuba’s last win prior to Friday had been a surprise all the way effort under the steadier of 130 pounds to win the Autumn Trophy (Listed, 1600m), a local Group 2 back in November. It was a marvellous effort for a horse considered just a 1050-metre sand specialist.
He had only raced three times since then with all of them top efforts in Class 1 company over 1050 and 1510 metres, but each occasion, he looked as if he needed it. On Friday night he stepped out leaner and meaner having dropped 35 pounds overall from his first-up run in April, and aided by Eric Cheung’s claim, he was simply superior to his opposition.
Fasuba, who is named after Nigerian Olusoji Fasuba – the fastest African sprinter of all time – originally commenced his racing career in Ireland under James “Fozzy” Stack. The gelding won a five-furlong maiden on the Dundalk all-weather and placed twice more in six runs, including a third on the turf at Tipperary.
Purchased for Macau by owner Char On Man, the gelding won his first three races straight in the James Moore yard before transferring to the Alan Tam stable. Tam has won six races with the gelding, including his track record win back in August last year under Ruan Maia clocking 1:00.60 for the 1050 metres. After Friday night’s win, Fasuba has amassed over HK$2.5 million (AUD$460,000) in prize money.
Geoff Allendorf is enjoying a great season and looks set for a strong finish with another double on Saturday’s turf program.
Allendorf combined with Japanese jockey Masa Tanaka to win the Class 4 & 5 over 1500 metres with Association Eighty (Declaration Of War), who appreciated the blinkers first time in Macau to run out a strong winner.
Tanaka settled the four-year-old midfield in the run before biding his time in the straight to find clear running and burst through the pack for a good win.
Association Eighty is one of a group of horses racing under the Association tag that is part of the Macau Horse Owners Friendship Syndicate that was formed to foster interest in Macau horse racing.
The consistent Luen On Poseidon (Pierro) gave Allendorf his double under Brazilian Fausto Henrique when he powered home late to win the Class 2 over 1500 metres.
Allendorf’s second stringer in the race Association Seven (Manhattan Rain) was the unlucky runner in the event when held up in the straight, and flew late when in the clear to dead heat for second with Hostwin Shadow (Longhorn).
With thirty winners for the season Allendorf is in second spot on the trainers standings behind Tony Fung who has an 11-win lead and looks certain to claim his second Macau trainers’ title with only eight race days left.
Allendorf started eight runners on Saturday for two winners, two seconds and three thirds, with Highspot (Manhattan Rain) in race six the only runner not to collect a cheque on the afternoon.
Chi Chai Sin Sang (Per Incanto) gave first season trainer Wayne Smith his eighth winner for the season with an impressive win in the Class 4 over 1200 metres, and giving apprentice Eric Cheung two winners for the weekend.
In a race run at good speed Cheung was content to cross over from gate seven and park Chi Chai Sin Sang off the speed in the run; eased into the clear on straightening, the four- year-old powered down the outside to win running away.
In his early races Chi Chai Sin Sang was ridden for speed and on a few occasions was found wanting; the patient ride on Saturday showed there is another side to the gelding and 1500 metres does not look beyond him.
With 101 runners to date Smith has posted eight winners with 12 second placings and seven thirds. Not a bad job considering he only started with a handful of horses in September and has just started to produce his younger horses as of late.