3 minute read
It did not take long for Katak to make amends in the best possible way in the $100,000 Spanish Bay 2015 Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
The win was a much-welcomed relief to his connections, who went through some head-scratching moments when the 2020 Cape Winter Series Triple Crown winner put in two disappointing runs following back-to-back wins earlier this year.
He only beat two home in the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) on May 21 at his last start. After giving it serious consideration, his trainer Ricardo Le Grange went with the snip.
It paid off after the son of Potala Palace turned his form around in the Kranji Stakes A race, albeit with an obvious flaw still yet to be fixed.
"It was a big call for me to geld the horse because if that didn't work, where do we go," quipped the winning trainer.
"To (owners) Marsh (Shirtliff, father), Guy (son), Bryn (Ressell), (racing manager) Mark (Van Deventer) and the breeders at Ridgemont Highlands Robertson Stud (South Africa), thank you so much for your support and the time you've given me with this horse.
"I think there could be times they were scratching their head and thinking 'does this clown know what he's doing?'
"Today, he (Katak ) showed me what I've always expected of him.
"Everything was against him, the weight (58kgs), the draw (eight) but he still put paid to a decent field, with him giving weight to some multiple Group 1 winners.
"Big thanks to Ayie (track rider) who rides him every morning. He's not an easy horse to work. And to (assistant-trainer) Jacci (de Tert), who does a lot of work behind the scenes.
"It's a great win, but I still want to work out why is he hanging out."
After assuming the leader's role on the paint early, Katak (Vlad Duric) kept charging to the line, but started hanging out badly at the 250m.
Hard Too Think (Marc Lerner), stablemate Pennywise (Krisna Thangamani) and Circuit Mission (Ronnie Stewart) were making up ground and about to hunt him down.
But under a few reminders from Duric, the $17 favourite maintained the gap to an unassailable level to romp in by five lengths from Circuit Mission.
Minister (Jake Bayliss) flew home to finish another neck away in third. The winning time over 2000m on the Short Course was 2min 2.49secs.
Duric noticed Katak's tendency to lay out when the pair won in a barrier trial last Tuesday. He reckoned the waywardness could have been a bad habit since young.
"He did hang out mildly in the trial but there was not much pressure then," said the Australian jockey.
"He's sound in his action, so this probably was a habit he picked up when he was a colt.
"We bowled along and he was too good.
"He's a proper horse, but in saying that, the track today was too firm and some give in the ground would be better for him."
Duric, who is set to ride out the remaining season at Kranji, took home a hat-trick of wins on Saturday with two other winners, Illustrious ($12) in the $50,000 Countofmontecristo 2017 Stakes, a Class 4 Division 1 race (1200m) and Born To Win ($15) in the $30,000 Super Easy 2012 Stakes, a Class 5 race (1600m).
With his third win from nine starts in Singapore, Katak has amassed close to $260,000 in prizemoney for the Vasco Stable.
Worthy mentions
In-form apprentice jockey Yusoff Fadzli scored an early double with Elliot Ness and Trident for his master Donna Logan in the $30,000 Starlight 2021 Stakes, a Class 5 Division 1 race (1100m) and the $75,000 Inferno 2020 Stakes, a Restricted Maiden race (1400m) respectively, before riding a third winner in Eagle Eye in the $50,000 Stepitup 2013 Stakes, a Class 4 race (1400m) to bring his season tally to 10 wins.
While Yusoff and Duric bagged a treble each in the riding ranks, trainer Tim Fitzsimmons and Logan shared the spoils on top with three winners apiece.
Golden Monkey handed Fitzsimmons the win in the $150,000 Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) after he took out the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) three weeks ago. The son of Star Turn had a new partner in Jake Bayliss, who was also picking up his first Group win in Singapore (see later report).
Saving the best for last, newly-licensed apprentice jockey Ibrahim Mamat rode his first winner, Paletas for his master Michael Clements, at only his fifth career ride in the last race, the $50,000 Gingerbread Man 2011 Stakes, a Class 4 Division 2 race (1200m) (see later report).
