Karaka Graduates Dominate Stewards’ Cup

Sunday’s S$300,000 Listed Stewards’ Cup (1400m) at Kranji saw Karaka graduates fill four of the first five placings.

The winner was Alibi (NZ) (Darci Brahma), who was a $90,000 purchase at the 2014 Ready to Run Sale. The runner-up, Infantry (NZ) (Tavistock), cost just $7,000 as a weanling in 2013.

Star Singapore galloper Debt Collector (NZ) (Thorn Park) was fourth, and he was a $30,000 Select Sale yearling and a $120,000 purchase at the Ready to Run Sale. The fifth placegetter Preditor (NZ) (Savabeel) was bought for $75,000 at the 2014 Premier Sale.

The Michael Clements-trained Alibi raced close to the pace throughout Sunday’s race, taking the lead as the field turned for home. Challengers lined up across the track, but Alibi and jockey Glen Boss held on strongly to beat them by half a length.

Having won the first leg, Clements said the plan now is for Alibi to tackle the remaining two races in the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge – the Patron’s Bowl (1600m) on June 18 and the Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on July 9.

“His prep has just gone great for him,” Clements said. “He has come back stronger and more mature as a four-year-old.

“He looked great in the paddock. He jumped good from his barrier and credit to Glen Boss, as this is exactly how he said he would ride him. It worked like clockwork.

“Like I always said, he will go for all three Legs. The mile will not be a problem for him. Obviously there is always a question mark whether he can get the 2000 metres, but I think he will be right.”

Alibi has now had 11 starts for six wins, four placings and more than S$600,000 in stakes.

A grandson of the Group 1-winning mare Honor Bound (NZ) (Honor Grades), Alibi was bred by Terry and Vicki Pascoe.

Offered by Esker Lodge at the 2014 Ready to Run Sale, he was purchased by Clements for $90,000. The horse has earned more than six and a half times that amount in prizemoney.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the reigning Horse of the Year Werther (NZ) (Tavistock) capped an outstanding weekend for New Zealand-bred horses in Asia when he scored a dominant victory in the HK$10 million Group 1 The Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin. He is now a triple Group 1 winner in Hong Kong and has earned more than HK$43 million in stakes.