Kharisma back to his best
A drop back down to his pet trip saw smart sprinter Kharisma bounce back to his brilliant best on Sunday.
The Mossman (Success Express) five-year-old certainly did not lose any admirers at his first mile test in the Stewards’ Cup (Local Gr 2, 1600m) last month when only a one-and-a-half-length third to Mr Malek (Swiss Ace), but he was clearly more at home over the shorter 1200 metres of the $100,000 Kranji Stakes A race.
Well handled by three-kilo claimer Iskandar Rosman from the widest barrier in the small but select ten-horse field, Kharisma got the gun run, one-out, one-back behind the speeding duo of Fame Star (Twirling Candy) and Makkem Lad (Kuroshio) while favourite Grand Koonta (Dark Angel) was tucked away in the box-seat.
Iskandar made the winning move when he clicked Kharisma up for a cruising run around the fighting pair, but held his fire for a few strides more before turning him loose.
It was a clever piece of riding that killed two birds with one stone – save his mount’s energy for that final burst while keeping Grand Koonta under lock and key on the rails.
When Kharisma let rip inside the last 250 metres, James Peters’ grey came across heels three abreast. To be fair, he still had enough time to peg the leader back, but Kharisma never stopped, and fell in with a neck to spare from his gallant challenger.
Makkem Lad did a sterling job to still hang on to third place another two-and-a-quarter lengths away, just fending off the three middle-distance performers of the race. Sacred Croix (Savabeel) finished a touch better to claim fourth place another short head away, a neck from Top Knight (Zoustar) in fifth place with Kranji Mile (Local Gr 1, 1600m) winner Minister (Street Sense) sixth another neck away.
Fame Star, who began as the second fancy, wilted to finish seventh another half-length away, obviously softened up by Makkem Lad’s pesky presence on his outside for most of the race.
Kharisma clocked the 1200 metres on the Short Course in 1.10.22secs and has now taken his handy record to eight wins, three seconds and three thirds from 18 starts for stakes earnings that have hit just a tick under the $400,000 mark for Indonesian outfit Dago Stable.
All his previous seven wins were also recorded over six furlongs, with the first four coming on Polytrack. Though Kharisma has now scored an equal amount on grass now, winning trainer Stephen Gray for one has not brushed aside the all-weather for his classy sprinter, having already targeted the Merlion Trophy (Local Gr 3, 1200m) on November 27 as his main target, but he has not completely shut the door on another tilt at the mile either.
“They were keen in front and that set it up nicely for him today. Makkem Lad overraced and Vlad’s horse was the horse to beat,” said Gray.
“It was a brilliant ride from young Iskandar. He also listened to the instructions, which was to come across if he could.
“He made full use of his light weight and he used his common sense. He trapped Vlad, who wanted to come out.”
“That reminds me of the day he was in that situation when Lim’s Lightning won. Sometimes, the draws can cost you.”
“Still, James Peters later told me he didn’t think his horse would have picked us up. My horse had the momentum and got the roll on.”
“I’m very happy. He keeps stepping up, he’s a very good, lovely, tough horse, and coming back from 1600 metres to 1200 metres, it was a very good effort.”
“He had two quiet gallops, and he was fit. The race also had good prize-money.”
“There’s an Open race (Class 1) over 1400 metres in three weeks’ time. We can have a go at that, then give him a freshen-up before the Merlion Trophy.”
“I don’t know about the mile of the Raffles Cup (on September 18). We have to be sensible in whatever we decide.”
“This horse just keeps turning up, and he fully deserves to win a Group race one day.”
Back-to-back wins for Written Tycoon’s Lady
If there is one mare who has without fanfare impressed Kranji at her recent runs, it’s Lady Sprintbok (Written Tycoon) who made it back-to-back wins in the $50,000 Class Four Division One Polytrack race over 1200 metres on Sunday.
Following her maiden win (on turf) back in December, the Written Tycoon (Iglesia) four-year-old was stepped up in grade, but fell a little by the wayside. She was then freshened up, and it would seem the break has done her a power of good.
The chestnut mare had to tough it out from a wide trip for her second win in a similar Class four polytrack race over six furlongs last time out on July 10, but Sunday’s slashing victory after she picked her way through an opening added an even more professional dimension to her make-up.
“Danny (Beasley) said to me she showed a bit of courage today when she was asked to go through a gap between two horses,” said winning trainer Daniel Meagher.
“There was no issue at all, she just went through, and it was a pretty soft win in the end. I think she has developed into a fun horse to have at the stable.
“I bought her for A$22,500 at the Inglis Digital (online auction) as a two-year-old and AJ (of AJ’s Stable) took over her. Good for AJ as he doesn’t have many horses left now.
“He kept this one as she’s got a bit of upside, and he’s also got Ararat Lady with Timmy (Fitzsimmons) who’s, as we know, a very good mare.”
The pace was brisk from barrier rise with Boom Shakalaka (Spirit Of Boom) and Samurai Express (Per Incanto) locking horns upfront while Lady Sprintbok ($13) settled in their slipstream, a couple of lengths astern.
When Samurai Express faded out, clear room came up on the rails, which Beasley needed no second invitation to capitalise on. Lady Sprintbok lengthened up nicely underneath Boom Shakalaka before darting away to a one-and-a-half length win.
Strong N Best (Rock ‘N’ Pop) steamed home late for second place with Hotshots Slam (Swiss Ace) in third place another half-length away. Lady Sprintbok clocked 1.10.97secs for the 1200-metre on the Polytrack.
Meagher said that his 19th winner for the season was a bit of a handful at the beginning, but has turned the corner with time and patience.
“She was naughty when she first came, but ex-jockey CS (Chin Seng) Chin rides her every single day, and she has really improved,” said the Australian conditioner.
“She doesn’t show much in trackwork. She looks like she’s just cantering, but she turns it on on raceday.”
With three wins and one second under her belt, Lady Sprintbok has now chalked up close to $100,000 in prize-money for AJ’s Stable.
Rocketship scores in Le Grange Quinella
Hot favourite Rocketship (Into Mischief) franked the promising form shown at her first couple of starts to break through for her maiden win in style in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden (1200m) on Sunday.
Third at her first two starts back in June, including the latest in Novice company, the Ricardo Le Grange-trained and Paolo Mendoza-owned US-bred three-year-old filly by Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) came with a nice turn of foot to leave his $9 backers without any doubt which way the outcome of their investment was heading.
After revealing precious little at his only start, Le Grange’s second runner Dragon Tycoon (Written Tycoon) showed remarkable improvement second-up to claim second place. The Written Tycoon three-year-old, who is also raced by Mendoza, enjoyed a lovely cart off Rocketship throughout, and did try to lay a glove on his stablemate inside the last 200 metres, but had to eventually play second fiddle three-quarter length away for a stable quinella.
Steven Burridge’s and Dr Tan Kai Chah’s Hippocrates Stable’s Oud Wood (Epaulette) turned in his best run in eight starts to date to clinch his first runner-up cheque in third place another one and a half lengths away. At one stage up the home straight, the Hippocrates’ yellow and purple checked colours looked in hot contention for victory with the James Peters-trained Dragon Sands (Dragon Pulse) also sneaking up on the rails, but the pair were outsprinted by Mendoza’s with Dragon Sands peaking on his run to finish fifth, beaten a nose into fourth place by Northern Star (Written Tycoon).
The winning time was 1.11.43secs for the 1200 metres on the Polytrack.
“I’m very happy with the win. She showed ability from the start, but she’s a young filly who’s still growing,” said Le Grange.
“She’s still doing a couple of things wrong. There’s still a lot of maturing to do.
“Jimmy (Wong) told me after the race that she will get more ground – 1400 metres to 1600 metres. She’s an easy horse to ride.
“Jimmy gave her a perfect ride behind the speed. When they ran along upfront, Jimmy was happy to sit off the pace and once she saw daylight, she was too good.
“Dragon Tycoon also ran a nice race. First-up, he ran on a soft track and he didn’t enjoy himself.
“He improved tremendously today, and he did show improvement at his trial last week (July 21). His dam Baroness Gabriella is a half-sister to Volkstok’n’barrell, Donna Logan’s former champion, so I think he’ll turn into a nice horse here.”
Le Grange also expressed his gratitude towards owners like Mendoza, who is from the Philippines, and took over the horses raced by his late father Rodolfo.
“A big thank you to Paolo. I’m very happy with our quinella today,” said Le Grange.
“I have to thank owners like Paolo, who continuously support us by putting money in our racing. Without them, we would have no racing.”
Rocketship’s earnings have already exceeded the $50,000 mark with that first success in three starts for Mendoza.