Strong N Smart heading towards 3YO Sprint
Three weeks after getting off the mark with a nose-win in a novice race over the same trip, the vastly-improved Strong N Smart (Per Incanto) went back-to-back with a commanding win in yesterday’s Class 4 race over 1200 metres and in the process put himself in the reckoning for the Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (Listed, 1200m).
Benefitting from an economical run on the fence in midfield, Strong N Smart powered clear for an easy two and a quarter length win.
Valorous (So You Think) held on gallantly for second place, with a half a length to spare from First Choice (Love Conquers All), while the rest of the field never had a look-in in the 1200-metre race that was run in 1min 10.08secs on the Short Course.
Leslie Khoo has now prepared Strong N Smart to two wins from only three starts since taking over from Kuah Cheng Tee. The veteran handler took such a shine to the horse he even decided to buy him from his previous owner.
“I’ve always liked Per Incanto, he’s also a popular sire in Hong Kong. I’ve got Grand Fighter by him, he won on debut for me and ran a nice race at his last start,” said Khoo.
“But I also bought him because I thought he had some ability. Today, he was fitter and had more confidence after his first win, and he won very well.”
Khoo has locked in the Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint in two weeks’ time as Strong N Smart’s next target, but doubts whether winning partner Danny Beasley will stay on.
“I will ask Danny, even if I know he’s on Dan Meagher’s three-year-old (Lim’s Kosciuszko). Or else, I will have to find another jockey,” said the former top jockey.
Three on the bounce for Baertschiger
When the barriers came out on Wednesday, Shane Baertschiger looked away in dismay,. From ten runners across seven of the 11 races, only From The Navy (Hinchinbrook) and Atlas (Atlante) had drawn decent gates, the rest were all in double figures.
If Baertschiger had been told he would saddle at least one winner, he might have believed it, but a treble right off the bat in the first three races would definitely have been stretching it.
“On Wednesday, I saw my ten runners’ draw, only two were drawn better than seven. I told myself I was done for,” said Baertschiger. “And here I am winning the first three in a row!”
Baertschiger got off the mark with the well supported From The Navy in the opener, the first division of the Class 5 race over 1200 metres before King Albert Park (Ocean Park) landed the restricted maiden over 1100 metres.
He completed the rout from the least fancied winner of the three, when Kiss Your Song (Your Song), posted the hardest-fought win prevailed by half a length from Man Of Mystery (All Too Hard).
“Kiss Your Song is a hard horse to call. Two weeks ago, I thought he had a chance, I put the blinkers on, and he pulled his head off,” said Baertschiger.
“Today, I took the blinkers off and he still pulled his head off, he’s a hard-going horse, but Matty (Kellady) knows him well. He does 90 per cent of all his gallops, it’s good for him he won on him today and got a double, too. On From The Navy, he rode the rails and got the job done.”
Chavez runs riot with four-timer
Oscar Chavez had a day out to remember when he brought a four-timer from a full book across the 11 races on the card.
Fort Mustang (Unencumbered), Arion Passion (El Roca), Tangible (Trippi) and Matsuribayashi (Matsurida Gogh) were the winning quartet who vaulted the 46-year-old Panamania from ninth to sixth place on 12 winners following his four-star performance.
“I was really expecting a good day when I saw my rides for today. I was actually hoping for at least four winners,” he said.
“I only missed out on Star Empire in the first race, I really thought he could win, but he ran second.
“Everything went well. Things just fell into place and went how I wanted, I couldn’t be happier.”