Kiwi Success at Singapore’s Feature Meeting

Singapore celebrated its biggest night of racing last night at Kranji with New Zealand bred horses and Karaka graduates contributing to the success with four victories on the feature card.

Opening the kiwi account was the Bruce Marsh trained Cool Customer (NZ) (One Cool Cat x Phillipa Glass) in Race 2 when he produced a smart performance on debut to win a S$65,000 2&3YO Restricted Maiden (1400m) for his owners the Drummond Red Stable.

Cool Customer (NZ) was a big winner on debut. Photo courtesy of the STC

Cool Customerwon his only trial in New Zealand before being taken to Singapore where he won his second trial under jockey Danny Beasley. Beasley partnered the three-year-old again in last night’s race where he took the horse to the front on the turn before the son of One Cool Cat raced away to a 1.25 length win.

NZ ex-pat trainer Marsh was torn between starting in a 1200 metre race on Friday or last night’s 1400 metre contest with Cool Customer’s win vindicating his decision to start over the longer trip.

“The 1200 metres is a bit sharp for him,” said Marsh. “He’s a big, long striding sort of horse and I thought the 1400 metres would suit him better.”

“He won a trial in New Zealand before he came here and we were hoping he’d go all right at his first race. Danny rode him a treat. He kept at him all the way and he got the job done.”

NZB Ready to Run Sale graduate Smart Idea (NZ) (Keeninsky x La Romanina) won the very next race on the card, the S$55,000 Class 4 1600, to bring up the second win of his 12-start Singapore career.

The four-year-old came into the race needing to turn around some poor performances and he did exactly that under jockey Barend Vorster, racing on the pace before launching his assault 200 metres from home and racing away to an upset one-length victory for the JLQ Racing Stable.

The sixth event on the card saw trainer Michael Freedman and top Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton combine to get Raziyya Of Sydney (Redoute's Choice x Zirna) home in a tight finish in the S$75,000 Kranji Stakes (1800m).

Raziyya Of Sydney is being aimed at the Sgp-1 Singapore Derby. Photo courtesy of the STC

The race, dubbed by many as a Singapore Derby trial, saw Raziyya Of Sydney cop a bad check 300 metres from home but in a good ride from Purton, he kept his composure and managed to get the four-year-old mare back in the race and she produced a late finish to run down rival Knight's Command who was ridden by James McDonald.

“Obviously the longer, the better for her,” said Freedman. “The Singapore Derby (14 July) is the race she is going for.”

“We may possibly look at the first two Legs (Stewards’ Cup and Patron’s Bowl) as well, but we’ll see how she pulls up first.” 

Raced by Australian-based owner Mark Read, Raziyya of Sydney was a $400,000 Karaka Premier Sale yearling purchase out of a Singapore Champion performer herself in Zirna (Deputy Governor), offered for sale by Westbury Stud.

The Shane Baertschiger trained Sichuan Ruler (Jet Spur x Elegant Emerald) was the fourth winner for the kiwis and brought up a winning double for NZB’s Ready to Run Sale with victory in the final race, a S$75,000 Class 3 1200.

In a good ride from John Powell, he pulled the five-year-old off the rail at the top of the straight and waited until the 200 metre mark to ask Sichuan Ruler for a race-winning effort, taking the lead and racing to a half-length victory.

Sichuan Ruler has been a good performer in Singapore with his fifth win last night from his 21 Singapore starts. He has now earned over S$280,000 for the R & W Stable.

For news and sales information from New Zealand Bloodstock visit www.nzb.co.nz.