Singapore Turf Club
A nice freshen-up saw promising galloper Autumn Assault (NZ) street his rivals to a most impressive second win on Sunday.
The son of Rock ‘N’ Pop stamped himself as one of the better two-year-olds this year. He did come a cropper at his last start in the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m), but that blip was soon forgiven following such an easy stroll in the park at his return in Sunday’s $45,000 Class 4 Non Premier race over 1100m.
Posted in a stalking spot from the jump, albeit three wide, Autumn Assault was still jogging as the field packed up by the home turn.
The New Zealand-bred three-year-old was still under a stranglehold, with regular partner Benny Woodworth swinging off his back and looking in no real hurry to unleash the beast as he allowed his mount to ease into the front without getting out of second gear.
But once the Malaysian rider lowered the chequered flag, the rest soon hoisted the white flag. In the twinkling of an eye, Autumn Assault roared towards the winning post, leaving his rivals gasping in his wake.
Woodworth could sit up and pose for the camera, with the chasing pack nowhere near eating into the margin, which was officially measured at 8 ¼ lengths while the class record of 1min 5.67secs was bettered by 0.15 second.
Kok said he was expecting a forward run, albeit not such a landslide victory, but a few shoeing issues had been niggling at him before the race.
“I knew he would run well today, but I was a bit worried he did not have a shoe on in front. He lost it a few times and I had to cement it instead,” said the Singaporean handler.
“But he seems to have handled that well. The horse came back in good shape after the two-year-old races.
“You can forget his last race in the Aushorse as he had a bad gate (14). I knew he was a lot better than that.”
After a super debut second to smart juvenile Pennywise in the second Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale Stakes over 1100m, Autumn Assault followed that up with a win in Restricted Maiden company.
But he then blotted his copybook in the final Leg, the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe won by Lim’s Lightning on July 13, beating one home.
He did have excuses in the run, though, as he was caught deep in no man’s land throughout, and was already a beaten horse at the top of the straight.
It was a totally different story 37 days later, so much so Kok could now afford to toy with grander plans.
“He will be my three-year-old horse next year, but before that, I will be aiming him at the Saas Fee Stakes at the end of the year,” said the Singaporean conditioner.
The Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes (1200m) is a race open exclusively to three-year-olds for the first time this year and will be staged on November 9.
Woodworth said Kok did the right thing to back Autumn Assault off after his last run.
“I think the drop in class helped him today. The 2YO races had very strong fields compared to this one,” said Woodworth.
“I had him in a good spot and saved him for as long as I could. Once I pressed the button, he just took off.
“The trainer did do a good job with him. He’s given him a spell and he was fresh today, which you need to do with such young horses.”
With that second win from four starts, Autumn Assault has taken his stakes earnings close to the S$90,000 mark for the SIN-HK Friendship 2 Stable. -STC