Monday, 16 July 2012: New Zealand-bred Karaka graduate Chase Me produced the performance of his career at Kranji on Sunday to destroy a brilliant field by eight lengths in Singapore's prestigious S$1.15 million Singapore Derby.
The son of Storm Creek (ex Cartier Gold) made it three consecutive Singapore Derby titles for New Zealand bred horses after Clint won last year and Race Ahead in 2010.
Chase Me has also continued New Zealand's unparalleled reputation as a Derby producing country, with New Zealand bred horses claiming no less than 18 Derby titles since 2010.
Bred by Peter Jenkins & Neoline Redfern, Chase Me was purchased by Brett Mcdonald from Twin Pines at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2008 Winter Mixed Bloodstock Sale for just $4,000.
Raced by Super Trio Stable, Chase Me's record now reads six wins and eight placings from his 23 career starts for over $900,000 in stakes.
The result saw another major race claimed by the progeny from a daughter of Gold Brose who stood at Westbury Stud.
In a successful few weeks for Gold Brose, he is also the damsire of Karaka graduates Little Bridge who won the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and Super Easy who was also successful at stakes level in Singapore on Sunday.
The Derby victory was a brilliant training performance from Desmond Koh and saw another master class ride from Singapore's leading jockey Joao Moreira.
Settling mid-field for the running off a hectic pace set by the race leaders, Moreira was patient and remained poised on Chase Me, keeping him in cover and in touch with the leading pack coming into the home corner.
At the 600m Moreira made his move, taking Chase Me into the clear wide on the turn to set out after the race leaders.
Kicking clear immediately on straightening, the four-year-old found another gear which left the field standing. By the 300m he was already two lengths clear and that was as close as his rivals got as he extended over the concluding stages to destroy the field by eight lengths.
The Cliff Brown trained Deep Pockets (Lucky Owners x Molly Singer) ran into second place claiming the quinella for Karaka graduates and New Zealand bred horses.
Desmond Koh said after the race that the Derby was a race he has always wanted to win.
"I finished second with New Rose Wood in 2010. Finally, I've broken my duck in this race," said Koh.
"This horse was a slow developer and it was only in the last year or so that I decided that he could be my Derby horse.
"I stepped him up in his work gradually and I was really happy with his performances in the first two legs of the 4YO Challenge. This is by far the biggest win of my career. This is what makes training horses all worth it."
Moreira has now won eight Group races in Singapore this season including the Sgp-3 Paititi Gold Trophy on Karaka graduate Super Easy earlier on the card.
Chase Me came into the Derby after two good performances in the first two legs of Singapore's 4YO Challenge, the Sgp-2 Stewards' Cup and Sgp-1 Patron's Bowl, where he finished within two-lengths of the winner on each occasion.
Chase Me's only other attempt at 2000 metres came four starts ago when he ran sixth in a very competitive race finishing two lengths behind Karaka graduate Waikato (Pins) in the Sgp-2 Queen Elizabeth Cup.
