Super Easy Takes Singapore's 3YO Triple Crown

The New Zealand bred three-year-old Super Easy (NZ) has confirmed his status as Singapore's best three-year-old with an incredible performance in the S$500,000 Sgp-1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) at Kranji on Friday night.

Coming into the race looking to maintain his unbeaten status in Singapore and secure the final leg of the Triple Crown, Super Easy (Darci Brahma x Parfore) had already won the first two legs of the prestigious series, the Sgp-3 Singapore 3YO Sprint and Sgp-2 Singapore 3YO Classic.

In undoubtedly the toughest race of Super Easy's stunning career to date, the colt found himself third last on the fence at the 800 metres with champion jockey Joao Moreira in the saddle.

Improving around the home corner and coming into the straight, the son of Darci Brahma found himself in a world of trouble with Moreira electing to take the rails run home, but was quickly blocked when the gap closed.

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Super Easy (NZ) (inside) wins the Sgp-1 Singapore Guineas and the coveted Singapore 3YO Triple
Crown. Photo courtesy of the STC

Desperate for racing room, Moreira brought Super Easy across heels to the outside where he was checked and remained boxed in behind a wall of horses. With a small gap appearing between rivals Let's See Action and El Milagro, Moreira punched through, being badly squeezed in the process, and sent the colt out after the race leader.

In a show of true class and determination from Super Easy and Joao Moreira after a horror run, the colt lengthened stride once clear inside the final 100 metres to run down Cash Luck to win by a remarkable neck margin.

Trainer Michael Freedman was full of praise for Super Easy after his remarkable performance.

"I'm just privileged to train a horse like him," said Freedman. "At the 200 metres I didn't think he could get a run. But both him and Joao showed their true champion qualities at that moment.

"Joao has always had faith in him and he did not panic. He's such an amazing rider and they should show what he did in the race to the apprentice's school."

Freedman will now send Singapore's Champion Three-Year-Old out for a well-deserved break before bringing him back for the spring and a possible tilt at Australia's Melbourne Spring Carnival.

"I'll sit and chat with the owners about future plans, but I've always believed he's good enough to go for the Melbourne Spring Carnival," said Freedman. "I've always believed he's as good as any of the good ones that I have been associated with in Australia."

Super Easy joins the likes of Karaka graduate Better Than Ever (French Deputy) who claimed the Singapore Triple Crown in 2010 and won his first 12 races in Singapore, eight of them at Group level. Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) also swept the Triple Crown last year.

Super Easy has maintained New Zealand's outstanding record in the Sgp-1 Singapore Guineas with the NZ suffix having won five of the last eight runnings with Better Than Ever (2010), Onceuponatime (2008), Ace Armada (2007) and Currency (2005).

Raced by the Joy N Happiness Stable, Super Easy has now won all ten of his Singapore starts, five at stakes level including the Sgp-2 E.W. Barker Trophy and Sgp-3 Three Rings Trophy against the older horses, for over NZ$900,000 in stakes.

Bred by M J Ryan, Super Easy was offered by Esker Lodge at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2010 Karaka Premier Sale where he was purchased by Blue Sky Thoroughbreds for $140,000.

Super Easy's sire Darci Brahma now heads Singapore's Sires' Premiership by earnings with four runners in Singapore for three winners. With $671,138 in stakes, he heads Flying Spur and Pins who are in second and third.

Darci Brahma also heads New Zealand's Sires' Premiership by individual three-year-old winners with 21, four clear of Pins on 17 and O'Reilly on 16. He is also the clear leader on New Zealand's Second Season Sires' Premiership by winners and earnings.

New Zealand bred horses claimed four of the ten races at Kranji on Friday night with Full Toss (Coats Choice) taking his first Singapore win for trainer Laurie Laxon at his sixth start.

The Group 3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes winner Hammer Down (O'Reilly) took his second Singapore win for trainer Bruce Marsh, beating Gingerbread Man in the process, and the promising Birthday Gift (Black Minnaloushe) took his fourth win from just six starts for trainer Khoo Peng Ann Leslie.