3 minute read
The Donna Logan-trained January stamped his authority with a gusty win in the $110,000 Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) after five runners were scratched before the start of Saturday’s race meeting.
A request by trainer Michael Clements to scratch all his runners on Saturday (see earlier announcement) also affected the make-up of the feature race, with the first Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge series downsized to an 11-horse field after all his five runners were withdrawn.
While the Ricardo Le Grange-trained Bestseller was sent out as the raging $14 favourite, Logan's three runners – Luxury Brand ($19), Knippenberg ($35) and January ($40) - were the next three best in the betting, in what was a revamped market given the pre-race circumstances.
On jumping, Baby Twins (Akmazani Mazuki) set the early tempo with Italian Revolution (Matthew Kellady) on his shoulder, but supporters of Bestseller were smiling with jockey Manoel Nunes using gate one to his advantage to get the perfect sit one-back on the rails.
Interestingly, the more fancied sprinters from the Logan trio – Luxury Brand (Fadzli Yusoff) and Knippenberg (Ronnie Stewart) – were in last and second-last position respectively on settling, while jockey Simon Kok Wei Hoong had January – a two-time winner over 1400m - in a more prominent midfield position.
When Nunes made his intention clear early in the straight by bullocking his way past Italian Revolution into the clear to lead, Kok had January on his back and ready to pounce at the 300m.
For all intents and purposes - given January was going to be strong late - the race was potentially all over bar the shouting with 250m to go when the son of Swiss Ace went past the favourite. But to his credit, Bestseller fought back under the frantic urgings by Nunes and it was a battle royale to the wire.
January prevailed in a thriller by a head over the game Bestseller, but it was a great result for Logan's stable as Luxury Brand ran on well late to finish another length and a quarter away in third, and stablemate Knippenberg just missed out the podium finish another half-a-length away.
The winning time was 1 min 9.58secs for the 1200m on the Short Course and January's third career win – and his first at Group level – took his earnings to over $170,000 for the Falcon Racing No 7 Stable.
Logan was overjoyed with the results and could not have been more impressed by the winning ride by Kok.
"I said pre-race that the jockey who gave the best ride would win," said the New Zealander after the race.
"Simon rode him a treat. I pictured him three-back on the fence and emphasised that the best way home was the shortest route. You can't win Group races going wide in Singapore.
"It worked out beautifully. The rain helped – Simon said the runners out front were struggling on the shifting track – and when he hit the front at the furlong, I knew he wouldn't get beat."
Logan, who now has two Group races to her name in Singapore after Minister took out the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) in 2021, was also happy that she won the Group 3 race with a horse that the Falcon Racing No 7 Stable had entrusted her to not only train, but also to buy.
"I'm thrilled for the owners," continued Logan.
"I bought him at the (New Zealand Bloodstock) Ready To Run Sale for Falcon (Racing No 7) Stable for NZ$75,000 in 2021 and I'm just rapt that he has won a Group race for them so early.
"He's (January) already paid his way. He's been a terrific horse for them already so to win this race over 1200m and to have the (Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old) Classic and the (Group 2 Singapore) Guineas still to come is really exciting."
Of her other two runners - Luxury Brand and Knippenberg - Logan was happy with the result given where they settled in running with the Singapore 3YO Classic over 1400m on April 29 also on their short-term agendas.
"They both got too far back to have a serious say in the finish today but both finished the race off really well," she said.
"All three will go to the (Singapore 3YO) Classic and I think you can make a case for all three on what we saw today."
The Singapore 3YO Classic is the second Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, and the third and final Leg will be the Singapore Guineas (1600m) which will be run on May 20.
Kok, who won the same race with Tiger Roar two years ago, was also delighted but a little shocked with the unexpected win.
"I thought it would be too sharp for him today," he said.
"But with Michael's (Clements) horses scratched, that changed a little bit and I was able to get into a good position close to the leaders.
"When I got a clear run and I hadn't even pulled the whip, but I knew he was going to win.
"He (January) did get a bit lost late but the other horse (Bestseller) kept him going to the wire.
"It was a great effort by Donna to have him fresh to win over this trip as he will be better over 1400m and even the mile.
"Winning for the owners is special too. I had other choices but they have been so nice to me so I was more than happy to ride January and it worked out really well."
