Kiwis Firing in Singapore

Karaka graduates had a day to remember in Singapore on Friday winning five of the eight races on the programme and produced the trifecta in the feature race with El Padrino (NZ) (Mr Nancho) successful in the S$200,000 Sgp-3 Woodlands Handicap.

El Padrino (NZ) triumphant in the Sgp-3 Woodlands Handicap. Photo courtesy of STC.

Polytrack specialist El Padrino scored his second Group success this year finishing in front of fellow kiwi-breds Hypernova (NZ) (Elusive City) in second with Indicio (NZ) (Ishiguru) completing the Karaka trifecta.

Formerly known as Ip Man when raced in New Zealand, El Padrino is trained by Alwin Tan who is familiar with training big race winners from New Zealand having prepared War Affair (NZ) (O’Reilly) to three Group victories this season.

Ridden by American jockey David Flores, El Padrino settled second to last with the race run at a fast pace. Flores cleverly cut the corner on the son of Mr Nancho before finding a path through the field. Once in the clear, El Padrino rocketed to the front to win by 1.5 lengths from the fast finishing Hypernova with Indicio running bravely for third only two lengths from the winner.

“It was exciting as my horse was quite far back and the sectional times were very fast,” commented Tan. “But the good pace also suited us and I was hoping that my horse would come flying home – and he did. We’re ready for Korea now.”

El Padrino has been invited to the Asia Challenge Cup and will be one of three runners from Singapore competing at South Korea’s inaugural invitation race.

“The track is deep in Korea and hopefully the pace suits us like it did tonight,” said Tan.

The win was the eighth in El Padrino’s career and second at stakes level following victory in the Sgp-3 Merilon Trophy this seaon. The six-year-old has earned S$686,382 for his owners the One Eight Eight Stable.

Bred by Assured Assets Pty Ltd, El Padrino is out of unraced mare Crownie (Luskin Star), a half-sister to Listed Ascot Stakes winner Nullabor (Military Plume).

Mr Soon Hock Lee purchased El Padrino for $56,000 at the 2010 Ready to Run Sale from Endsleigh Thoroughbreds. Noel Nicholson of Endsleigh Thoroughbreds had himself purchased the horse as a weanling, paying $10,000 at the 2009 National Weanling Sale from Twin Pines.

Karaka graduates won four of the first five races on the racecard with Highlight (NZ) (Volksraad) victorious in the first race, impressive debutant Touch Me Not (NZ) (Elusive City) winning the second race, Eden Park (NZ) (Thorn Park) capturing the fourth event and Big Harvest (Husson) making it five wins on the eight-race programme for Karaka.

Singapore’s Sunday race meeting also provided five winners for kiwi horses with Scrat (NZ) (Jet Sur), Lucky Dapper (NZ) (Testa Rossa), Hammer Down (NZ) (O’Reilly), Danny (NZ) (Elvstroem) and Darci Charmer (NZ) (Darci Brahma) all triumphant.