Promising three-year-old Mr Clint is fast becoming one of trainer Lee Freedman’s personal favourites after he downed a rather handy field in the S$60,000 Class 4 Premier race over 1400m on Sunday.
Giving a little nod to veteran trainer Bruce Marsh, the Australian mentor said he was told by his learned friend it was quite a feat for a three-year-old to beat older rivals so early in their career in Singapore.
Drawn off the track, the son of Power did not enjoy the most auspicious of trips plying a path outside the leader Mr Mosa (Zawari Razali) for Craig Grylls from the start, but sheer grit saw him outsprint his eight rivals inside the last 300m.
Without taking anything away from the winner, though, runner-up Country Warrior could have turned silver into gold had he not been in strife behind runners at a crucial stage of the race in the home straight.
Once in the clear, the Markane six-year-old steamed home for John Powell but had to settle for his third second place in a row, three-quarter length away. Mr Mosa held on for third place another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 21.97secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
“Bruce Marsh, my mentor here, told me it is difficult for a three-year-old to beat older horses at this time of the year,” said Freedman, not without some cheek.
“He also ran very good time, so it’s all good for the 3YO series coming up.
“He had a bad draw and he wore blinkers for the first time. So I told Craig to ride him like he was the best horse.
“I don’t think that’s quite the way to ride him, but he’s won and that’s the most important.”
The Kiwi jockey was delighted he was able to recombine with the horse he rode and gave the Australian Hall of Fame trainer his first Singapore winner last September.
“I rode him like he was the best horse in the field,” said Grylls.
“He jumped really good and he travelled good coming into the straight. The challenges came on the outside but he dug deep and hit the line real hard.”
Never worse than third in five starts, Mr Clint was bringing up his second win which has edged his takings even closer to the S$100,000 mark for the Oscar Racing Stable. -STC