3 minute read
Trainer Leslie Khoo could not be happier at the winner’s circle after Auspicious King opened his account first-up in the $20,000 Open Maiden race (1200m) on Saturday.
The Per Incanto three-year-old showed some potential after he placed twice from two starts last year in similar races over the same trip, but unfortunately suffered from a tendon injury. On top of that, he also underwent a gelding operation in November.
Five months after his last run, Auspicious King returned and ran second in a barrier trial on 6 February. That good trial run and his previous runs had punters rooting for him at $10 favouritism.
After he jumped fair from barrier four, Auspicious King (Bruno Queiroz) was snagged back behind Prince Lonhro (Clyde Leck) and Nate's Champion (Jaden Lloyd) while a line of three, Rubik Kid (Krisna Thangamani), Lucky Goal (Manoel Nunes) and Otahuhu (Yusoff Fadzli) vied for the lead upfront.
Turning for home, Auspicious King swung out the widest as Otahuhu struggled to keep up. Lucky Goal and Rubik Kid were going stride for stride on the inside but Auspicious King had picked up momentum by the 200m before sweeping past the duo at the 100m to a one-and-three-quarters length win.
Rubik Kid held on valiantly in second while Nate's Champion finished another neck away in third. Lucky Goal just missed out the podium finish by a short head.
The winning time was 1 min 9.77secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
Mr Teo Peng Seng, the 81-year-old Singaporean owner and businessman was not at the races, but Khoo was glad to get another winner for this long-time supporter of Singapore and Malaysia racing, whose past handy gallopers included Trend Setter III, Happy Life II, Groovy II and Staff General.
Teo used to race horses under the Trend Stable and He's Dawan Stable banner and had eight horses with Khoo. They last combined for a win in October 2022 after Whistle Grand took out a Class 5 race before his retirement.
To get another win for Teo during the Chinese New Year period, a festive celebration that spans 15 days in the first month of the Lunar calendar was probably more of a happy coincidence, but Khoo was in high spirits at his second win this season after scoring with Tennet Tentennet on 6 January.
"It's good for the owner. He's been an owner for very long, more than 50 years," said the former top jockey.
"He used to have about 10 horses here but stopped buying horses (Singapore Turf Club) after we want to close. He's old now so he doesn't come to the races but he enjoys racing and wants his horse to win.
"This horse (Auspicious King ) had some tendon issues so I had to let him rest for some time, but he's got one second and one third over the same trip before.
"(Previous partner and jockey) (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) Harry has left for Korea, so I got Bruno to ride him. I wanted him to be handy in third or fourth.
"He's good at 1200m but he can go further to 1400m. I may look for a 1200m or 1400m race for him next. It can be on the Polytrack too. I think he can still win next time!"
Though Queiroz was replacing A'Isisuhairi, who rode his last race in Singapore on Sunday and had taken up a licence in South Korea, the young Brazilian jockey had ridden Auspicious King once in a trial last year.
The two-time Brazilian champion jockey had another good feel of the promising youngster in trackwork on Tuesday and was upbeat about a win since then.
"I galloped him on Tuesday and he felt very good, so I thought he could win then," said the leading jockey, who has chalked up 14 wins thus far, one more than fellow champion jockey Manoel Nunes.
"He's a very good horse and I was very confident because he also ran very well at his last race (second on 23 September). I watched his last trial and he ran very easy too.
"He's improving and can go longer in future."
Bought for NZ$60,000 as a two-year-old at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, Auspicious King's first win in three starts has taken his earnings to over $30,000 for connections.
