Gareth Pepper (Singapore Turf Club)
The leading trainer and jockey combined for an early double on Sunday, cementing further the increasingly distinct impression they are home and hosed in their respective premierships.
Sacred Galaxy (AUS) and Show Far So Good (NZ) saluted for the Mark Walker-Vlad Duric pairing in Races 1 and 3, widening further their already massive leads.
The double has now taken Walker to 76 winners, 24 clear of Shane Baertschiger while Duric’s cushion on reigning champion jockey Manoel Nunes has now increased to 19 winners (71 versus 52) with a high possibility more winners could come their way with six races still to be set down for decision.
With just over two months left in the season, both leads look unassailable. Duric is chasing his first title while Walker, the 2015 Singapore champion trainer, would be at his second crowning.
Both men would rather focus on the task at hand, though - ride the next winner instead of falling into any title talks.
“Every win counts, they all add up,” said Walker.
“Show Far So Good is one good example. He is racing well and he continues to do so.
“Today, he had a soft lead, and at the top of the straight, Vlad still had plenty of horse under him. I knew it would be hard for the rest to pull him back.”
Taking full advantage of his barrier No 1, Show Far So Good shot straight to the lead from Oliver (Olivier Placais), and was always travelling on the bridle.
Swinging for home, Show Far So Good ($43), a five-year-old son of Showcasing, had the race shot to pieces once he was let loose by Duric inside the last 400m. Lim’s Ripple (Daniel Moor) ran on late to grab second place another three lengths away, half-a-length ahead of O’Reilly Bay (Nooresh Juglall). The winning time was 1min 36.67secs for the mile on the Short Course.
Show Far Show Good was a $5,000 graduate of Wentwood Grange's 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft in New Zealand.