Singapore Turf Club
Former two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim has vaulted to the top of the heap in the senior league for the first time of his young career after he sprang a late riding double on Sunday.
The 2018 season has certainly begun in the best possible way for A’Isisuhairi, or ‘Harry” as he is better known, after he landed the first feature race on the racing calendar, the New Year Cup (1200m) with Speedy Dragon on January 1.
One week later, he doubled the score with his best chance of the day, Eclipse Splash (NZ) (Showcasing) and a pick-up ride in the Lucky Last, Sahara Eagle (NZ) (O'Reilly). Both are prepared by his former master Steven Burridge and both were the top picks in their respective contests.
While Eclipse Splash is a horse A’Isisuhairi knows inside out for having partnered the Showcasing four-year-old at all his four wins, Sahara Eagle was a former Kembla Grange one-time winner making his Kranji debut.
But from the Colin Keane-owned gelding’s three winning barrier trials at Kranji, A’Isisuhairi knew he had grabbed a good chance of taking the lead, and he certainly did not let the opportunity go begging.
The joint $16 favourite crossed over nicely from his barrier No 9 to easily settle on the paint in the $60,000 Class 4 Premier Division 1 race over 1400m, pinching a commanding break at the top of the straight, only to be cut back late by the other $16 fancy, One Kinabalu.
In a way, A’Isisuhairi had followed the same blueprint which proved successful aboard Eclipse Splash (a noted on-the-pace runner) and for six of the 11 winners on that Sunday afternoon, anyway.
Leader bias or not, the Malaysian jockey could not stop enthusing about the Indonesian-owned gelding after he fell in by one length from Absolute Miracle in the $100,000 Class 2 race over 1400m.
“He’s a horse who keeps improving all the time, and today, he really felt different, especially when cantering on the way to the barriers.
“He just put himself in the spot and today he really showed how good he was. He is a very honest horse with plenty of ability.
“The soft track didn’t worry him at all. It didn’t make any difference to his action at all.
“He travelled beautifully everywhere and at the top of the straight, once I balanced him up, he just kept going strongly to the line.
“I really think he’s an above average horse and there is a big race for him one day.”
Burridge was a little more measured at the winner’s circle but was also glad he has such a useful competitor in his barn.
“Today he showed he could handle the soft ground. He’s ultra-consistent and has stepped up to the mark again,” said the Australian conditioner.
“He was meant to run at the last meeting in December but he had a foot problem and I had to ease him up. He had four trials mind you and was in really good shape.
“We’ll have to be careful with his prep, though, as he can overdo it at times, but I really think he’s a very good horse.” -STC