Singapore Turf Club
The Oscar Racing Stable seems to have found another exciting find in the unbeaten Mr Colin (NZ) (Falkirk) following a second win from as many starts on Sunday.
An easy four-and-a-half length winner on debut in an Open Maiden over 1200m, the Falkirk four-year-old was right on target again, though he had to work harder against better company in the $85,000 Novice race over 1200m.
Settled in midfield, Mr Colin, who was backed down to $13 favouritism, improved noticeably by the home turn before going on to get the better of the likes of Trigamy, What’s New, Key Success and Most Favorite, all last-start winners.
Trigamy was actually being hailed the winner when he looked to be travelling better than Most Favorite at the 300m mark, hitting the front shortly after.
But Vlad Duric had timed his run to perfection as he drove Mr Colin on the outside to tussle it out with Trigamy for an all-yellow battle (Mr Colin has blue spots while Trigamy has blue stars) inside the last 100m, before gaining the ascendancy for a three-quarter-length victory.
Mr Colin was ringing up a winning hat-trick for Duric and a training double for James Peters.
“He’s a very unassuming horse and a real professional. He did overrace a little today, I may have to remove the blinkers from him,” said Peters who also trains Mr Hanks for the Oscar Racing Stable.
“It was a strong field today. If he wins again, I may look at the first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge for him.
“It’s good to get another winner for CK (Phua Chian Kin of Oscar Racing) as he’s been a great supporter of racing here in Singapore.”
Duric echoed the same post-race comments as Peters that Mr Colin may not need any blinkers at his next outings.
“He’s a lovely horse, but he overraced today, which was quite surprising,” said the Australian jockey.
“The first start with blinkers may have switched him on, but we may have to remove them now to endeavour him to relax better.
“But to win with the big weight against better horses today was very impressive. What I like about him is how he puts his head down and stretches out.
“When he is tested against better opposition, he will give his best. He is a very promising horse.”
That second win has now taken Mr Colin’s stakes earnings past the $55,000 mark for the Oscar Racing Stable. -STC