Stewards’ Cup in Mr Malek’s sights after resounding win
Top sprinter-miler Mr Malek (Swiss Ace) stamped his class with an authoritative win in yesterday’s Class 2 race over 1400 metres to set up a potential tilt at the Stewards’ Cup (Listed, 1800m).
A flashing third in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1200 metres at his first-up race from a four-month spell, the four-year-old did give his backers who took him at $10 a fright when pocketed on the rails at the 400 metres.
But jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim found the space Mr Malek needed for his signature turn of foot to be ignited to its maximum power and once in the clear he went on to an easy two and a half length win from Passport To Rome (Snitzel) in a talent-packed field.
Mr Malek ran the 1400 metres on the Short Course in 1min 22.92secs and has now racked up a smart record of seven wins and four placings from 12 starts.
“I’d like to thank the owner (Phua Chian Kin) for giving me the opportunity to train this horse,” said Steven Burridge, after Mr Malek had made a successful stable debut.
“You’re always worried when a horse hasn’t run for four months and he then backs up after two weeks for his second-up run.
“But I was happy with the horse going into today’s race. I thought he needed a bit of luck at the weights, but he got a nice posie in the race.
“He got a bit tight for a run, but he’s quite a relaxed horse, and he did a good job to find his way out. The 1200 metres was too sharp for him at his last start, and today, 1400 metres was better.
“The 1600 metres will be even better, and all going well, he should get the 1800 metres of the Derby. Things are going the right way for him.”
Burridge has pencilled in the Stewards’ Cup (Listed, 1600m) on July 3 and the Singapore Derby (Listed, 1800m) on July 25 as future targets.
Boomba wins his ticket to 3YO Sprint
Boomba (Showcasing) graduated to his first win in open company with a dashing display under an inspired ride from champion jockey Vlad Duric.
Bolstered by the manner of the win, Tim Fitzsimmons can already fill out the nomination form for the Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (Listed, 1200m) on June 27.
Fitzsimmons and Duric were capturing their first double at Kranji after favourite Don De La Vega (Lope De Vega) had earlier landed the opener.
“I’m really happy I trained my first winner for (Barree Stable principal) Glenn (Whittenbury) with Don De La Vega, and then the double,” said Fitzsimmons.
“We’ve been waiting for that race for Don De La Vega as there are not a lot of Class 5 races over the mile. We had pigeonholed that race and it was a good plan that came off.”
Regarding Boomba’s performance, Fitzsimmons said: “Vlad gave him a boom ride.I was very happy with his last run as the wide barrier and the E course made it difficult. He has come on since.
“I was slightly worried as he went for home a bit early, but he was strong to the line, it was an excellent effort. He doesn’t have a lot of gate speed, but he finished off nicely.”
Leggenda gets right breaks towards maiden win
It’s taken a while for Leggenda (New Year’s Day) to hit his straps and, more to the point, get the lucky breaks he badly needed, but the US-bred finally had all the stars aligned as he took out a maiden over 1200 metres.
Racing for the 11th time at Kranji, the four-year-old for once raced without the litany of setbacks that had plagued him at most of his previous ten starts.
The $80 shot certainly had Lady Luck smiling down on him at first run from a 56-day let-up after Saifudin Ismail punched him out of his barrier two to nestle into a dream run
Winning trainer David Kok said the handy draw went a long way towards unlocking Leggenda’s winning flair, especially over a trip which he didn’t think was his forte.
“The good barrier is a big advantage,” said Kok.
“He is more of a 1600-metre horse but as he had a freshen-up and never ran for two months, I thought I’d drop him back to 1200 metres first-up.
“After that, I may continue to run him over 1200 metres.”