Super Singapore Success: NZ Breds Win 16 of 20

New Zealand bred horses had a terrific weekend in Singapore. With ten-race cards on both days, the New Zealand contingent took home the spoils in 16 of the races including Big Easy's win in the feature event of the weekend, the Singapore Group 1 Raffles Hotel & Resorts Cup (1800m).

Ex-pat Kiwi trainer Laurie Laxon also flew the flag for New Zealand by winning five of the races, including with his charge, Big Easy (Spinning World x Nicole's Niner). 

In the feature race of the weekend, the Singapore Group 1 Raffles Hotel & Resorts Cup (1800m), the consistent top performer Big Easy clinched victory by just 0.2 of a length. Bruce Wallace purchased the horse from Waikato Stud's draft at the 2003 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale for $35,000 while next year's Sale is set to feature a sister to Big Easy by O'Reilly.

Earlier in  theday, Saturday's racing started with the Laurie Laxon trained My Royal Captain (Zabeel x Kiwi Magic) winning by almost four lengths, on debut, in the Restricted Maiden Raffles International Hotels and Resorts 1200m. An exciting prospect, he was purchased at the 2004 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale for NZ$120,000 by bloodstock agent, Rob McAnulty from Haunui Farm's draft. This win was quickly followed by New Zealand bred, Sky High's (Woodborough x C'Est Soir) first career win in the Maiden Raffles Hotel (1400m).

In the third, Winning Expert (Kashani x Ripon Star), Coppola (Danske x Elabama Star) and Armstrong (Tuscany Flyer x Honoured Place) gave NZ breds their first trifecta of the night. Both Winning Expert and Coppola are graduates of New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale in 2001 and 2004 respectively.

Race four saw the second trifecta of the night with Highland Gold (Gold Brose x Misrule), Ipanema Dancer (Zephyr Ace x Penny Letter) and Lion City Emperor (Woodman x Lolette) crossing the line in that order. Tim Roberts purchased Highland Gold at the 2001 Karaka Select Yearling Sale for NZ$65,000 from Westbury Stud. Entered in next year's National Yearling Sales Series is a sister to Lion City Emperor by Viking Ruler.

Speeder Chase (Starjo x Our Bonny Belle) took out the eighth, the Class 3 Hotel vier jahreszeiten (1600m), Keegan (Al Akbar x Chaleco) the ninth, the Open Benchmark 67 Raffles L'Ermitage Beverley Hills California (1200m) and as a final flourish, there was a New Zealand Bloodstock Sale graduate quinella in the 10th.

Super Rapid Dancer (Towkay x Chums Delight), a NZ$4250 purchase at the 2002 Central Districts Sale graduate, won the final for the night the Class 5 Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Siem Reap (1800m). One and a half lengths behind was 2003 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale graduate Gamblin Man (Zabeel x Unite), a NZ$220,000 purchase from Cambridge Stud's draft by Richard O'Gorman Bloodstock. A brother, by Stravinsky, to Gamblin Man is to be offered at the 2006 Karaka Yearling Sales as part of Cambridge Stud's draft.

On Sunday, New Zealand breds Al Rey (Shinko King), Magical Way (Magic Of Sydney x Goffers) and Villa Verde (Woodborough x Scarlet Ice) started the day's racing in superb style in the Open Benchmark 40 (1800m). Magical Way is a graduate of the 2002 Karaka Select Yearling Sale, where he was sold by Grand Vue Lodge to Graeme Rogerson for NZ$14,000. Villa Verde was purchased at the 2000 Ready to Run Sale for $70,000 and has a brother by Black Minnaloushe entered in the 2006 National Yearling Sales Series.

Another NZ bred trifecta followed in the Class 5 1200m race. The Laurie Laxon trained Landau (Towkay x Hyapatia Lee) won, while Climb Max (Masterclass x Revive The Phoenix) and Cactus Jack (Desert Sun x Console) rounded off the placings. A 2004 Karaka Select Sale graduate, Landau was purchased by Sir James Lodge for NZ$28,000. Climb Max was purchased by his current trainer, Paddy Busuttin at the 2000 Ready to Run Sale for $15,000 and has a brother by San Luis entered in the up-coming Ready to Run Sale. As Lot 221, he recorded the good Breeze Up time of 10.66 seconds over 200m.

In race three on the card, the Class 4 1800m race, Ooi Tang Beng's 2001 Karaka Select Sale purchase, Cizen Warrior (Jeune x McGinty's Gold) beat fellow New Zealand breds, Gold Mint (Faltaat x Deciding) and Lyman Hall (Deputy Governor x Georgia).

Next was another NZ bred trifecta in the Open Benchmark 53 race over 1600m. Pow To The Moon (Pentire x Miss Tessla) won the ahead of Gamgee (Maroof x Leica Ecstacy) and Res Judicata (Magic Of Sydney x Double Wisdom). Entered in the 2006 National Yearling Sales Series is a colt by Jungle Pocket from Miss Tessla. Gamgee was purchased by Mr J Sung at the 2001 National Weanling Sale for $24,000 while bloodstock agent, Stuart Hale paid NZ$32,000 for Res Judicata at the 2002 Karaka Select Sale from Grand Vue Lodge's draft.

Paddy Busuttin trained the Judge Clapham bred Music Express (Justice Prevails x Puzzle) to win the Class 2 1200m race. This is the horse's fifth career win from 20 starts, remaining unplaced in just five of his starts.

Race six on the card, the Class 5 over 1200m saw Fire And Desire (Cullen x Impress Me) emerge victorious. Now trained by Patrick Shaw, the win was his second from eight starts in Singapore. He was initially purchased at the 2004 Karaka Select Sale by New Zealand trainer, Stephen McKee for $25,000 from Valentine Stables.

The seventh saw the Laurie Laxon trained Robbins (Istidaad x Sapphire Queen) win the Class 4 over 1200m race. Laxon purchased him from last year's Ready to Run Sale from Regent Farms for NZ$60,000. A full sister to Robbins is to be offered for sale at the 2006 National Yearling Sales.

The final victory of the day was in the Open Benchmark 81 race (1400m) with the winner being another Laxon trained horse in Royal Command (Four Seasons x Truly Blessed). Third placegetter in the field was the up-and-coming 2003 Ready to Run Sale graduate, Fairy Tale (Shinko King x Winter's Tale).