Nandowra (NZ) Scores Stakeswin in Singapore

Friday night’s $150,000 Sgp-3 Yew Tew Classic Stakes (1800m) at Kranji in Singapore saw a tough victory by the kiwi-bred Nandowra (Savabeel).

The 2009 NZB Select Sale graduate had to do it the hard way after jumping awkwardly and nearly dislodging his jockey, Manoel Nunes. The tough son of Savabeel picked himself up however and travelled up to sit outside the leader who was the favourite, Ready to Strike (Colombia). The pair fought neck and neck down the home straight, with Nandowra getting his head in front short of the post to capture the feature race of the night.

Jockey Nunes kept his composure after the nerve-racking start and managed to get the horse into a winning position. The horse showed great tenacity in the home straight to fight off all challengers.

“For some reason, he jumped straight to the outside and my right shoulder hit the side of the gates, I almost lost my foot from the stirrups and I was also grabbing his neck to not fall over,” commented Nunes.

“We were supposed to lead if nobody goes forward, but I had to come up with another plan. Luckily it’s a long back straight and I had enough time to get myself balanced up again.

“I suppose the fact it was a small field also helped. Even after the incident, I was still able to put him just outside Alan’s [Alan Munro, jockey of second place getter Ready to Strike] horse quite easily.

“Alan’s horse was the horse to beat, and I was happy to stay close to him. In the home straight, I went with him when he quickened and it was just a matter of wearing him down right on the line.”

The win was a morale-booster for trainer Michael Freedman and his stable. Earlier in the week it was announced that stable favourite and reigning Singapore Horse of the Year, Super Easy (Darci Brahma), another NZB graduate, had run his last race as a result of a tendon injury suffered in winning the Sgp-1 Patron’s Bowl last Sunday.

“The stable was dejected after losing our No 1 horse last Sunday, but this win will be a nice tonic,” said Freedman.

“Things didn’t quite go our way, though, when Manoel nearly got dislodged. Our plan was to dictate the race, but I guess it worked out alright taking a sit on Laurie’s (Laxon) horse (Ready To Strike) in the end.

“The thing about this horse is he never wins by big margins and he’s done it again. He always waits for the other horses and seems to like getting down to a bit of a scrap.

“Tonight we decided to put the winkers on him as I feel he’s a horse who cannot have nothing on him. He didn’t seem to like the blinkers, and winkers are probably something in between. He was a lot more relaxed tonight.

“He’s very competitive in this type of race. I’ll probably give him a freshen and look for a similar weight-for-age race over 1600m or 1800m later in the year when he gets back.”

The win took Nandowra’s record to nine wins from 28 starts. He had been successful at stakes level twice before in his career. Earlier this year Nandowra picked up the Sgp-3 Polytrack Mile Championship over 1600m. He was also successful last year in April taking out the Sgp-3 Moonbeam Vase over 1800m and was narrowly beaten in last year’s running of the Sgp-1 Patron’s Bowl by Ato.

The five-year-old gelding was bought by Peter Moody from Waikato Stud at the 2009 NZB Select Yearling Sale for $25,000, before being transferred to the Singapore stable of fellow Australian trainer Michael Freedman.

Nandowra has strong Waikato Stud bloodlines being by their latest star sire Savabeel, and out of Fabaz, by their established champion sire O’Reilly. Fabaz is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Zanetta (Centaine).

Nandowra is raced by Results Stable and has taken his prize money to over $850,000 with his latest win.

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