Colonial Chief Stakes win caps Super day for Maia
Super Dynasty (Fastnet Rock) landed a mini upset when he won yesterday’s Colonial Chief Stakes (Listed, 1600m) in record-equalling time – thanks largely to a gutsy ride from a man on fire.
Taken to the front around the first bend by Ruan Maia, the grey went on to set his own pace in Singapore’s last feature race of the year before turning on the second set of afterburners in the home straight.
Recent Polytrack winner Senor Don (Senor Candy) and favourite Sincerely (Evasive) issued a strong bid to peg him back, but Super Dynasty had enough petrol in the tank to hold them safely at bay.
Smartly handled by Maia, Lee Freedman’s galloper skipped clear to score by a comfortable length and a half from Senor Don with Sincerely having to settle for third, another head away.
By clocking 1min 37.64sesc for the turf mile on the Short Course, Super Dynasty joins Tiger Roar (Wandjina) who broke the record in a Class 5 race last year.
Super Dynasty’s win capped a big haul for Maia following his earlier victories on Sky Eye (Per Incanto), So Hi Class (Dark Angel), Mr Showman (Showcasing) and Water Rocket (Orpen) which cut back current Singapore champion jockey Vlad Duric’s lead to only four winners.
“It’s fantastic. I’m still four behind, but it looks better now,” Maia said.
“I had to have a day like this to have a chance. It’s over now and we’ll see what happens in the last (meeting).”
On his tactical nous aboard Super Dynasty, Maia revealed it was not his intention to go forward, and certainly not break away from the pack down the back straight.
“I was supposed to sit either second or third, but when the gates opened, there was no pace early,” he said.
“My horse jumped good and I was going to sit second or third, but when I saw (Ryan) Munger hold his horse back, I decided to let my horse go forward.
“I know he’s a one-paced horse, so I just let him dictate a strong pace, and hope he can keep up the same pace to the finish.
“I had full control of the race and at the 400 metres, I gave him another reminder, and he ran through the line really well.”
Freedman put Super Dynasty’s win down to Maia’s able hands.
“No wonder he rides so many winners. He won the race for us,” said the Australian Hall of Fame trainer.
“He rated this race beautifully. It was his idea to let the horse roll and roll, and make it a staying test, it was a brilliant ride.
“He had no luck at all at his last run when he was caught wide, but he had things his way today.”
Munger bows out a winner
Outgoing jockey Ryan Munger could not have hoped for a better send-off after he booted home a last winner at his farewell Kranji meeting.
The lightweight South African jockey was staring at the prospect of ending his Singapore adventure on a losing note until his third-last ride Makkem Lad (Kuroshio) flew to his rescue in the Stepitup 2012 Stakes (1200m).
As is his habitual racing pattern, the Donna Logan-trained five-year-old darted straight to the front for Munger and after enjoying soft sectionals as an uncontested leader beat Lim’s Passion (Show A Heart) by a length and a quarter, with Moongate Star (Atlante) another three parts of a length away in third.
“I’m over the moon,” said Munger, who flies back to Johannesburg with wife Kelsey today.
“I’m really stoked I’ve managed to ride a winner at my last meeting here. I’ve ridden my last two winners for Donna, I’ve put in the hard work for her in the mornings, and she rewarded me with two winning rides.
“Today’s ride was pretty simple. This horse has good speed and from the 400-metre marker I still had a lot of horse underneath, I was smiling.
“Even if I’ve never ridden him before, I knew he’s always been a good horse. He had no-one challenging him today and he took it like a duck to water.”
While Makkem Lad’s previous four starts had not been anywhere close to his winning form, Logan had a hunch the old spark was back after a short let-up since his last start in September when he finished in the rear on a yielding track.
“He was fresh. He has so much ability but that freshen-up has done him a world of good,” said the New Zealand-born handler.
“I thought Ryan would suit him as he’s a nice patient rider, and he rode him really well today, he just left him alone in front.”
Clements clinches first title
McGregor (Magic Albert) gave trainer Michael Clements his first Singapore champion trainer title after the hardy campaigner sprang a $103 surprise in the Best Tothelign 2015 Stakes (2000m).
After trading first place with defending champion Mark Walker for most of the 2020 season, the Zimbabwean-born conditioner has in the last three months or so, slowly but surely, pushed clear at the top, coming into this penultimate meeting with a cushy lead of 11 winners on Walker.
Mathematically, Clements could still be reeled in, but the calculators could be put away after McGregor rang up a double for the trainer following the earlier victory of So Hi Class, moving him into an unassailable 13-win margin.
“How apt that it’s the old boy who has sealed the premiership for me!” said Clements.
“I’m 13 winners in front now. Mark can’t catch me anymore.
“Obviously, we all dream of that one day, but it’s only in the last five years that I’ve had a good flux of winners, and a bunch of much classier horses as well.
“I’d like to thank a good strong team behind that success, both staff and owners. I couldn’t have done it without great staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes.
“And I’m also lucky to have a good group of owners who have brought in a great spread of horses in the last four to five years. The Falcon Stable is one of them, but the others have all contributed to our success in some way or another.
“Thanks to that solid support, the stable has progressed from strength to strength, and today we get the reward for all the hard work.”
On his unlikely title provider, Clements had nothing but words of praise for the old timer who was registering his ninth win from 63 starts over seven seasons.
“As a ten-year-old, McGregor is still a very bright horse. He’s still full of himself and loves his work every day,” said Clements.
“He’s come down at the weights, he had a good barrier (1) and even though it’s his first win at the distance, he’s been looking for more ground.
“There was also some give in the track. So things have really worked out great for him today.”