Lim’s Kosciuszko in a class of his own with Lion City Cup win
Singapore has had its fair share of versatile horses over the years – the likes of Laurie Laxon’s old warhorse Waikato (Pins) immediately spring to mind – but never has a horse achieved the double of the Singapore Derby (Listed, 1800m) and the Lion City Cup (Listed, 1200m) in the same year, let alone at consecutive starts, as Lim’s Kosciuszko (5 g Kermadec – Jacquetta by Keeper) did on Sunday.
In fact, in the almost 50 years since the Lion City Cup – long regarded as Singapore’s premier domestic sprint – was first contested in 1974, no horse has ever won both the Derby and the sprint at any stage.
The pair of Singapore Group 1 races attract substantially different horses and are targeted by different types but, with his three-quarter-length victory on Sunday, the Dan Meagher-trained Lim’s Kosciuszko stamped himself as a leading light on an honour roll that includes The Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor), Lim’s Cruiser (Casino Prince), Zac Spirit (Flying Spur), War Affair (O’Reilly) and the greatest Singapore sprinter of them all, Rocket Man (Viscount).
While his task was undoubtedly made much easier by the withdrawal of last year’s winner, his stablemate and likely favourite Lim’s Lightning (Lope De Vega), due to a lame right hind on race morning, he still faced a strong field featuring most of the best speedsters that could possibly be assembled at Kranji.
With regular rider Danny Beasley originally booked for Lim’s Lightning, it was jockey Wong Chin Chuen – better known simply as CC – who scored his second Singapore Group 1 win on Lim’s Kosciuszko, having won the Kranji Mile (Gr 3, 1600m) – also a local Group 1 – on Lim’s Lightning earlier this year.
Sent out as the 2-1 favourite, the Lim Siah Mong-owned Lim’s Kosciuszko settled handy one off the fence in a race filled with speed. Ownermate Lim’s Dream (Duporth) set a strong tempo and was pressured early by Fame Star (Twirling Candy), seemingly creating the ideal setup for Lim’s Kosciuszko back in trip.
However, jockey Silvestre de Sousa on Fame Star steered a wide course on the apex of the turn, carting Lim’s Kosciuszko to the centre of the track and opening the door for Blake Shinn on King Arthur (I Am Invincible) to burst through and look the winner.
However, class soon came to the fore and Lim’s Kosciuszko quite simply proved the superior horse late, scoring by three-quarters of a length over King Arthur. Three-year-old sensation Golden Monkey (Star Turn) made late ground despite a wide berth to just grab third at his first run as a four-year-old, with Grand Koonta (Dark Angel) adding a fourth to his previous efforts of third and sixth in the Lion City Cup.
“He’s very special, isn’t he?” an emotional Meagher mused. “He’s a very good horse, no one can pot him now. He’s done us proud, he’s done Singapore proud and we all should be really happy.
“He was very fit coming back from 1800 metres and we had a good talk and thought why don’t we just go to the Lion City Cup. Danny got off him in his trial, just a soft one and said, ‘He’s flying.’
“Danny’s a massive part of this and I wouldn’t be able to do it without him. We work together and it’s disappointing he couldn’t ride because Lim’s Lightning was scratched but CC has done a great job and I’m so rapt for Mr Lim and all the staff.”
Leading New Zealand bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo sourced Lim’s Kosciuzsko after a Rotorua trial in August, 2020. That came after he had failed to meet his reserve when offered by Trelawney Stud twice in 2019 – first at Karaka Book 1 and then at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, in which he was the first lot through the ring.
“I liked the way he trialled at Te Teko,” Cataldo recalled to Asia Bloodstock News yesterday. “He had just the one trial here where he beat subsequent New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Kahma Lass. He was nothing special to look at but he sat wide and showed a good action that day.”
While Cataldo has sold a number of top prospects to Singapore, he thinks that Lim’s Kosciuszko is quickly putting himself at the top of the list.
“His record is quite outstanding, he’s now won ten from 13 and the sky’s the limit,” he said. “I was fortunate to buy most of Laurie Laxon’s horses when he won his nine premierships and we had many top-liners. Better Than Ever was top class and I also sold Infantry to Singapore off one trial in New Zealand and he went on to win the Derby.
“What Lim’s Kosciuszko is doing though is fantastic and I am very proud of him. It’s always significant to find a Derby winner, I have known Mr Lim and his manager Mick Dittman for a long time so to win the Derby together was a huge thrill and it was a top training performance from Dan to get him to run out 1800 metres so strongly.
“To then come back and win a Lion City Cup at 1200 metres is a credit to the horse and to the trainer.”
Cataldo notes that, with Singapore undergoing a time of change and transformation in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been less enquiries from the Lion City for horses from New Zealand. However, Asia still represents a significant percentage of Kiwi sales with Hong Kong demand continuing to grow.
“The demand for New Zealand horses in Singapore is not as strong as years gone by and the Singapore buying bench is not what it used to be,” Cataldo said. “However, New Zealand horses still continue to race well there. Demand for above average sprinter-milers will always be there.”
For Cataldo, Lim’s Kosciuszko’s two wins bookended a remarkable month which also saw another of his New Zealand purchases, Sierra Sue (Darci Brahma), sell for $1.55 million through Inglis Digital to Victorian breeder Bill Pearce and racing co-owner Ozzie Kheir.
Cataldo had initially purchased Sierra Sue for a partnership which included Kheir from trainer Peter Lock, who had paid just $2,000 for the filly as a two-year-old.
“Buying horses that win Group 1 races in Australia is the ultimate goal,” Cataldo said. “It was an incredible thrill watching Sierra Sue’s career unfold. Trent (Busuttin) and Natalie (Young) trained her to perfection and for Ozzie to be involved in buying her back, that will ensure she will get every opportunity at stud.”
An Australian Group 1 could potentially beckon for Lim’s Kosciuszko too with Victoria Racing Club officials understood to be chasing the Singapore star for either the VRC Champions Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m) or the VRC Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.