Taramea
Apprentice jockey Amirul Ismadi and Taramea (NZ) (Mastercraftsman) have clicked again for a second consecutive win on Sunday.
The Malaysian rider, who transferred to Kiwi trainer Stephen Gray this year, scored his first Kranji win aboard Taramea on January 22, at only his third Singapore ride. Nine more rides have since followed, mainly for his master, without success, before Taramea resurfaced again to give him that winning feeling again in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1600m.
Gray, who had saddled a first winner in Billy Britain (NZ) (One Cool Cat) two races earlier, for one thought the St George Stable, who also races Taramea, and himself had just missed a winning double by a whisker.
After a few nervous seconds waiting for the judge's numbers, Gray was happy to be proven wrong by the photo print. Breathing a huge sigh of relief as he headed down to lead in the winners, the Kiwi handler immediately lauded his apprentice jockey for his exemplary work ethic.
"He's a very promising lad. He comes from a good family (father Ismadi Ismail is a former jockey and now a trainer in Ipoh and uncle Azhar Ismail is a champion jockey)," said Gray.
"It wasn't easy for him to come here as he is a bit of a mummy's boy but he has settled in well in the end. He works very hard and he's never put in a bad ride.
"I told him to ride the fence throughout and sneak up there to get a break on them as this horse can stay. The second horse is probably a better horse going forward but we got the breaks on him today."
It was the third win for Taramea from nine starts for prizemoney in excess of $90,000 for Paul Hickman of St George Stable.
The Malaysian rider, who transferred to Kiwi trainer Stephen Gray this year, scored his first Kranji win aboard Taramea on January 22, at only his third Singapore ride. Nine more rides have since followed, mainly for his master, without success, before Taramea resurfaced again to give him that winning feeling again in the $60,000 Class 4 race over 1600m.
Gray, who had saddled a first winner in Billy Britain (NZ) (One Cool Cat) two races earlier, for one thought the St George Stable, who also races Taramea, and himself had just missed a winning double by a whisker.
After a few nervous seconds waiting for the judge's numbers, Gray was happy to be proven wrong by the photo print. Breathing a huge sigh of relief as he headed down to lead in the winners, the Kiwi handler immediately lauded his apprentice jockey for his exemplary work ethic.
"He's a very promising lad. He comes from a good family (father Ismadi Ismail is a former jockey and now a trainer in Ipoh and uncle Azhar Ismail is a champion jockey)," said Gray.
"It wasn't easy for him to come here as he is a bit of a mummy's boy but he has settled in well in the end. He works very hard and he's never put in a bad ride.
"I told him to ride the fence throughout and sneak up there to get a break on them as this horse can stay. The second horse is probably a better horse going forward but we got the breaks on him today."
It was the third win for Taramea from nine starts for prizemoney in excess of $90,000 for Paul Hickman of St George Stable.
| Race: | Singapore TC Class 4 H. 1600m. |
| Horse: | Taramea (NZ) 2011 |
| Owner(s): | St George Stable |
| Trainer: | Stephen Gray (Kranji) |
| Breeder: | J N & Mrs K L Murdoch; Auckland; NZ |
| Breeding: | by Mastercraftsman (IRE) out of Wildcat Woman (USA) by Forest Wildcat (USA) |
| Sale: | 2013 National Yearling Sale - Premier Sale, V: Hallmark Stud $47500 P: S Gray |