Majestic Moments bounces back to winning ways in the Open Benchmark 89 race over 1400m.
Photo: Singapore Turf Club
The Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) is looking more and more like a Patrick Shaw special day out after his son of Darci Brahma Majestic Moments became the fourth name to be added to his ever-growing list of contenders.
With Perfect P, Time Odyssey and Winning Cause already earmarked by Shaw for the last Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge on July 10, another stablemate has now joined the team following his slashing win in the $100,000 Open Benchmark 89 race over 1400m on Friday.
Shaw, who just came back from his South African holidays on Tuesday, already has two Singapore Derbies to his resume, Our Falstaff in 2006 and Quechua last year, and could afford to feel upbeat about a third one with the big team he is putting together, especially after watching Majestic Moments come up trumps.
The race could not have panned out more beautifully for the Darci Brahma four-year-old, already a holder of a proud record of five wins and seven placings from 18 runs.
First, These Streets (Oscar Chavez) and Affleck (Michael Rodd) went eye-balling each other at a nippy pace in the first 400m with Majestic Moments parked on the steel right behind the duelling pair.
Jockey Barend Vorster's grin must have grown even wider when three other horses, Albany Reunion (Matthew Kellady), Power Lion (John Sundradas) and Dragon Fury (Troy See) got off their spots to go forming a line of five from the 400m like the charge of the light brigade.
Upon straightening, Majestic Moments still had not gone around any horse and was still humming while These Streets was already shortening up when Affleck sidled up on his outside.
Crowned champion three-year-old on the night before at the Singapore Racing Awards, Affleck had a lot carrying on his shoulders, but the old spark that broke the hearts of many horses in his heyday was not the same anymore.
Majestic Moments, on the other hand, shot past like the fresh horse on the scene once Vorster set him alight to race clear to an impressive 1 ¾ length-win from Affleck, who to his credit, plugged on for second despite the early torrid trip. These Streets also lost no marks to finish third another length away. The winning time was 1min 22.4secs for the 1400m on the Long Course on a soft track.
A delighted Shaw could not have hoped for a better homecoming present.
"I would have liked to go further with him but there was only this 1400m race for him. We had to change tactics a little with him, but it worked out good," said Shaw.
"Obviously, we'd like to set him for the 4YO series. He will go through all the three Legs for sure.
"He's a horse (owner) Mark (Yong) really likes. He was entered in the Gold Cup (2200m) last year, but I think it was best to target him at the Derby instead."
With that sixth win, Majestic Moments has now brought his stakes earnings close to the $390,000 mark for the Tmen Stable.
Vorster said he was chuckling to himself when the horses started to whip around him from the backstraight.
"He was in the perfect spot. I just had to follow Affleck and when they went wide, I was like this is too good to be true," said the South African jockey.
"Last time he would hit the front too soon and would look around. I could afford to wait a bit longer this time and when I asked the question he just quickened so well.
"He's got a touch of class and he really got his act together tonight." - Singapore Turf Club
With Perfect P, Time Odyssey and Winning Cause already earmarked by Shaw for the last Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge on July 10, another stablemate has now joined the team following his slashing win in the $100,000 Open Benchmark 89 race over 1400m on Friday.
Shaw, who just came back from his South African holidays on Tuesday, already has two Singapore Derbies to his resume, Our Falstaff in 2006 and Quechua last year, and could afford to feel upbeat about a third one with the big team he is putting together, especially after watching Majestic Moments come up trumps.
The race could not have panned out more beautifully for the Darci Brahma four-year-old, already a holder of a proud record of five wins and seven placings from 18 runs.
First, These Streets (Oscar Chavez) and Affleck (Michael Rodd) went eye-balling each other at a nippy pace in the first 400m with Majestic Moments parked on the steel right behind the duelling pair.
Jockey Barend Vorster's grin must have grown even wider when three other horses, Albany Reunion (Matthew Kellady), Power Lion (John Sundradas) and Dragon Fury (Troy See) got off their spots to go forming a line of five from the 400m like the charge of the light brigade.
Upon straightening, Majestic Moments still had not gone around any horse and was still humming while These Streets was already shortening up when Affleck sidled up on his outside.
Crowned champion three-year-old on the night before at the Singapore Racing Awards, Affleck had a lot carrying on his shoulders, but the old spark that broke the hearts of many horses in his heyday was not the same anymore.
Majestic Moments, on the other hand, shot past like the fresh horse on the scene once Vorster set him alight to race clear to an impressive 1 ¾ length-win from Affleck, who to his credit, plugged on for second despite the early torrid trip. These Streets also lost no marks to finish third another length away. The winning time was 1min 22.4secs for the 1400m on the Long Course on a soft track.
A delighted Shaw could not have hoped for a better homecoming present.
"I would have liked to go further with him but there was only this 1400m race for him. We had to change tactics a little with him, but it worked out good," said Shaw.
"Obviously, we'd like to set him for the 4YO series. He will go through all the three Legs for sure.
"He's a horse (owner) Mark (Yong) really likes. He was entered in the Gold Cup (2200m) last year, but I think it was best to target him at the Derby instead."
With that sixth win, Majestic Moments has now brought his stakes earnings close to the $390,000 mark for the Tmen Stable.
Vorster said he was chuckling to himself when the horses started to whip around him from the backstraight.
"He was in the perfect spot. I just had to follow Affleck and when they went wide, I was like this is too good to be true," said the South African jockey.
"Last time he would hit the front too soon and would look around. I could afford to wait a bit longer this time and when I asked the question he just quickened so well.
"He's got a touch of class and he really got his act together tonight." - Singapore Turf Club