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Pacific Emperor proved his dominance in the sprint races again after he claimed the $100,000 Super Ninetyseven 2013 Stakes, a Class 1 race (1200m) with a barnstorming finish on Saturday.
After four wins on the bounce since his debut in Singapore this April, the son of Caravaggio found one better at his first Group race in the Group 3 Rocket Man Sprint (1200m) last month, where he was beaten a neck by Kharisma.
Connections then put his ability over the mile to the test in the Class 1 race at his last start on August 27. Ridden by regular partner and jockey Wong Chin Chuen, Pacific Emperor came from behind but was caught up in traffic in the straight, finishing eighth to Invincible Tycoon.
Almost a month later, the Pacific Stable-owned gelding was back on his winningest trip thus far and added his fourth win over the six furlongs to his records.
With first-time partner Bruno Queiroz on board, Pacific Emperor tracked $12 favourite Super Salute (Manoel Nunes) in the backstraight, while Kharisma (Marc Lerner) and Ocean Crossing (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) settled at the tail end in the field of nine.
Leader Silent Is Gold looked to be full of running at the 250m under a vigorous ride from jockey Shafrizal Saleh, but the wall of horses behind him did not go away.
Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m) winner Super Salute was the first to emerge from the pack and loomed up to Silent Is Gold at the 100m. Pacific Emperor, who peeled out wide upon straightening, also did not let the golden opportunity to leave a good impression go begging.
After acres of land appeared before the $17 shot at the 300m, Pacific Emperor made a beeline for the winning post and soon drove past Super Salute to score by half-a-length.
Silent Is Gold held on well to run another one-and-a-half length away in third. The winning time was 1 min 9.48secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
Winning trainer Michael Clements praised the young Brazilian hoop for his good ride on Pacific Emperor.
"He (Bruno) rode him well. Pacific Emperor's a genuine horse that improves every time and he does his best all the time," said the Zimbabwean-born Singapore trainer, who is tied on 38 wins with trainer Tim Fitzsimmons, but sits third on a lesser countback for seconds.
"We thought he'd get 50kgs on the handicaps, but (jockey) Jimmy (Wong Chin Chuen) didn't want to lose weight to ride him that as he's riding Lim's Kosciuszko later.
"When the handicaps came out (on Monday), we saw that he was to carry 52.5kgs but we had already engaged another rider (Bruno).
"They had a good barrier (three) and he's versatile. I told him (Queiroz) to get him behind the leaders which he did and after he switched him out for the run, he got the job done.
"There were a few anxious moments when he brought him wide like that, but when it's time to get going, he sprinted home well."
Pacific Emperor was among one of the up-and-coming four-year-old gallopers under Clements' care, but he will soon be transferred to trainer David Kok after the 2020 Singapore champion trainer wraps up 25 years of training in Singapore next Saturday.
Stablemate Pacific Hunter ($14) took out the $20,000 Debt Collector 2018 Stakes five races earlier, an Open Maiden Stakes race (1400m) five races earlier, bringing up a double for Clements at his penultimate meeting at Kranji.
On the other hand, Queiroz welcomed his second hat-trick of wins in Singapore on Saturday after his first three-timer on August 27.
He first partnered Two Million ($14) to a soft win in the $30,000 Makanani 2019 Stakes, a Class 5 Division 2 race (1600m), followed by Pacific Emperor before the Stephen Gray-trained February ($69) sprang a surprise first-up in the $50,000 Flax 2012 Stakes, a Class 4 Division 1 race (1400m) in the Lucky Last.
Queiroz was confident with all three rides.
"It's the second time I won three races in a day in Singapore. I thought I could win more because I had quality rides today," said the two-time Brazilian champion jockey, who will serve his one-day suspension next Saturday for his careless riding on Dr Kardo last Saturday.
"Pacific Emperor is very good. I think he can win a Group race next.
"I worked on Two Million and February this week, watched their replays and knew we had a good chance of winning.
"Mr Richard Lim told me to run (Two Million) close to the frontrunners and in the homestraight to hold him steady because he is a slow horse.
"Mr Stephen Gray told me to stay in midfield. He made me felt at ease and that helped a lot in the win."
With five wins and one second in seven starts, Pacific Emperor has taken his earnings to over $210,000 for connections.
