3 minute read
Australian trainer Lee Freedman reminded the racing world of his ability to target a feature race when he claimed the quinella in the Singapore Derby on Sunday.
Freedman had the weight of numbers in the Group 1 1800m classic with five runners but it was two of the lesser lights – Sun Marshal and Mr Clint – that ran one-two.
While most of his rivals were heading to the Derby through the traditional three-year-old series, Sun Marshal was taking a more low-key path through restricted races but it was one that had him in winning form and proved the right move.
Settled just off the pace by Western Australian jockey Joseph Azzopardi, Sun Marshal received a good run in transit on a yielding surface before hooked wide in the straight to set out after the leaders.
Claiming the lead about 300m from home, Sun Marshal opened a gap and looked home until Mr Clint descended late out wide.
Azzopardi threw everything at Sun Marshal and he clung on to beat his stablemate with the William Pike mount King Louis in third.
The race proved a blowout for favourite backers with three placegetters all starting at longer odds, the favoured pair of Sacred Croix (fifth) and What's New (fourth) chasing them home.
Sun Marshal is an Australian-bred son of Sepoy out of the Fantastic Light mare Mysterious Light and started his career with Gai Waterhourse and Adrian Bott where he raced as Han Xin, his best results a Caulfield win and a second in the Group 3 Grand Prix in Brisbane.
He headed north after a midfield finish in the 2018 Queensland Derby and has won three of seven starts in Singapore.
It was another Australian-bred that claimed the weekend's other feature with the exciting Inferno scoring an impressive win in the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe on Friday.
The Cliff Brown-trained Inferno had kicked off his career with a debut win earlier this month and proved he is the real deal with another dominant performance.
Forced to cover ground throughout from a wide gate, Michael Rodd allowed the Holy Roman Emperor gelding to chime in out wide on straightening and he showed an impressive turn of foot to join and race past the leaders.
Opening a gap from the 150m mark, Inferno was allowed to cruise late to score by two lengths from the fast-finishing Rocket Star with Hotshots Slam third.
Brown said he would now send Inferno for a spell with the Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes in November a likely target.
Inferno's dam Spina Rosa – a daughter of Redoute's Choice – has made the perfect start to her career with her only progeny to race D'Aguilar (High Chaparral) also unbeaten after two starts in Victoria.
It was a big night for Rodd with Inferno's win his fourth on the program.