Jockey Danny Beasley is all excited about being reunited with his old champ Affleck (NZ) (Battle Paint) on Sunday, even if the note has been soured by an untimely one-month suspension.
The Australian was handed the hefty ban on Tuesday morning after Stewards found him responsible for causing Hammer Down to check and fall in a race on March 25 when his mount Power Lin shifted ground at the 250m. Apprentice jockey Zuriman Zulkifli was dislodged from Hammer Down and suffered head injuries, but is fortunately out of danger now.
With Beasley already booked to ride this weekend, including Affleck in the $125,000 Open race over 1200m, he will defer the start of his ban from Monday and return on June 16.
As much as he can't wait to jump back on the horse who along with War Affair were the two headline acts of his bumper season in 2014, Beasley has to suck it in thereafter.
He will need to give way to another jockey when Affleck lines up at the first Leg of his main target this campaign, the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge which kicks off with the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1400m) on May 29. The merry-go-round of riders is always an awkward topic for jockeys, but Beasley would know better as he himself was taking over Michael Rodd.
"I'm very thankful to CK (owner Phua Chian Kin) and Laurie (Laxon) for putting me back on Affleck as I had such a great association with him two years ago," said Beasley after winning Tuesday's barrier trial on Affleck.
"I can't comment for the last 12 months I was away and he was up and down. Michael didn't do anything wrong on him as they won the Group 1 Singapore Guineas after all.
"But it's great I'm able to get back on him at this new comeback prep towards the 4YO series. Unfortunately I just got suspended for one month and I won't get to ride him in the Stewards' Cup.
"As I had a feeling that suspension was coming, I've already spoken to Laurie beforehand, and I should be back on Affleck for the Patron's Bowl."
Run on June 19, the Group 1 Patron's Bowl (1600m) is the second Leg of the Challenge with the final Leg, the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on July 10.
But until those big dates come up for the son of Battle Paint, Beasley will take it day by day. He was not around – his 2015 licence was not renewed until this year – during Affleck's lull last year, but has a hunch he may have caught the wave at the right time.
"He showed no form at all after the Guineas, but from the five or six gallops I've had with him, I reckon he's back," he said.
"To me, he's going as well as he's ever gone. If you block out 2015, it feels like he's never missed a beat; I'm really pumped up about him.
"I think his fitness has improved after today's trial and whatever he does on Sunday, he will improve again. He's awfully handicapped (58kg), giving weight to both Daniel (53.5kg) and El Padrino (53kg), but I still think he'll run very well.
"All being well, I think he will run super in the Stewards' Cup."
Whether Beasley's prophetic words come true remains to be seen, but if the chemistry they enjoyed in 2014 is anything to go by, he is probably the best person to make such a big call.
From Affleck's first seven runs, the combination tasted defeat only once, running second to arch-rival Kiwi Karma in the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m), but they did score in "black type" events, namely the Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) and the now-defunct Group 3 Magic Millions 2014 More Magic 3YO Championship (1600m) – their last pairing in November 2014 - among their six victories.
Rodd took over the reins for the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge campaign after Beasley went back to Australia last year. Sparks were set to fly and the clean sweep which had prevailed since the Challenge's inception in 2010 looked a surefire bet to continue.
But the results fell short of expectations, even if Affleck did add the one that mattered to the trophy cabinet, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m), while his two seconds in the first two Legs still earned him the nod for the Singapore champion three-year-old title.
Affleck ran four more times, with a four-month break in between, including treatment on a trouble spot at his withers and a tweak in his headgear, but the early hype seems to have run its course.
At his last start in a Benchmark 89 race over 1400m in January, he was up against opposition he would have made mince-meat of at the height of his career, but he could only finish second to Majestic Moments. He had excuses, though, as he returned lame to his near-hind, hence his latest spell.
On his own "spell" after Sunday's meeting, Beasley said he would "hang around" for a while to keep an eye-in on things before maybe going back to Australia for a quick break. He said he was also relieved Zuriman was showing good signs of recovery after the early scare (complications) following the fall.
"I was expecting this suspension but at the same time, I'm glad to see Zuriman back on his feet," said Beasley.
"These things happen in racing, but you don't want to see your fellow jockeys get hurt. Zuriman was amazing in the inquiry as he never blamed me for the fall, but the Stewards had to do their job as a jockey fell off and that's a more severe penalty on the MRA (Malayan Racing Association) books.
"I'm not sure if I'll head back to Australia but I would like to hang around for a while just to stick with one very nice two-year-old I rode in a trial for James Peters today, Siam Sapphire.
"I think he's the best two-year-old I've sat on this year. He jumped like a gazelle before but he was a bit fresh and missed the start today. There was a bit of kickback in front of him, which was all a good experience for him." -STC
The Australian was handed the hefty ban on Tuesday morning after Stewards found him responsible for causing Hammer Down to check and fall in a race on March 25 when his mount Power Lin shifted ground at the 250m. Apprentice jockey Zuriman Zulkifli was dislodged from Hammer Down and suffered head injuries, but is fortunately out of danger now.
With Beasley already booked to ride this weekend, including Affleck in the $125,000 Open race over 1200m, he will defer the start of his ban from Monday and return on June 16.
As much as he can't wait to jump back on the horse who along with War Affair were the two headline acts of his bumper season in 2014, Beasley has to suck it in thereafter.
He will need to give way to another jockey when Affleck lines up at the first Leg of his main target this campaign, the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge which kicks off with the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1400m) on May 29. The merry-go-round of riders is always an awkward topic for jockeys, but Beasley would know better as he himself was taking over Michael Rodd.
"I'm very thankful to CK (owner Phua Chian Kin) and Laurie (Laxon) for putting me back on Affleck as I had such a great association with him two years ago," said Beasley after winning Tuesday's barrier trial on Affleck.
"I can't comment for the last 12 months I was away and he was up and down. Michael didn't do anything wrong on him as they won the Group 1 Singapore Guineas after all.
"But it's great I'm able to get back on him at this new comeback prep towards the 4YO series. Unfortunately I just got suspended for one month and I won't get to ride him in the Stewards' Cup.
"As I had a feeling that suspension was coming, I've already spoken to Laurie beforehand, and I should be back on Affleck for the Patron's Bowl."
Run on June 19, the Group 1 Patron's Bowl (1600m) is the second Leg of the Challenge with the final Leg, the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on July 10.
But until those big dates come up for the son of Battle Paint, Beasley will take it day by day. He was not around – his 2015 licence was not renewed until this year – during Affleck's lull last year, but has a hunch he may have caught the wave at the right time.
"He showed no form at all after the Guineas, but from the five or six gallops I've had with him, I reckon he's back," he said.
"To me, he's going as well as he's ever gone. If you block out 2015, it feels like he's never missed a beat; I'm really pumped up about him.
"I think his fitness has improved after today's trial and whatever he does on Sunday, he will improve again. He's awfully handicapped (58kg), giving weight to both Daniel (53.5kg) and El Padrino (53kg), but I still think he'll run very well.
"All being well, I think he will run super in the Stewards' Cup."
Whether Beasley's prophetic words come true remains to be seen, but if the chemistry they enjoyed in 2014 is anything to go by, he is probably the best person to make such a big call.
From Affleck's first seven runs, the combination tasted defeat only once, running second to arch-rival Kiwi Karma in the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m), but they did score in "black type" events, namely the Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) and the now-defunct Group 3 Magic Millions 2014 More Magic 3YO Championship (1600m) – their last pairing in November 2014 - among their six victories.
Rodd took over the reins for the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge campaign after Beasley went back to Australia last year. Sparks were set to fly and the clean sweep which had prevailed since the Challenge's inception in 2010 looked a surefire bet to continue.
But the results fell short of expectations, even if Affleck did add the one that mattered to the trophy cabinet, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m), while his two seconds in the first two Legs still earned him the nod for the Singapore champion three-year-old title.
Affleck ran four more times, with a four-month break in between, including treatment on a trouble spot at his withers and a tweak in his headgear, but the early hype seems to have run its course.
At his last start in a Benchmark 89 race over 1400m in January, he was up against opposition he would have made mince-meat of at the height of his career, but he could only finish second to Majestic Moments. He had excuses, though, as he returned lame to his near-hind, hence his latest spell.
On his own "spell" after Sunday's meeting, Beasley said he would "hang around" for a while to keep an eye-in on things before maybe going back to Australia for a quick break. He said he was also relieved Zuriman was showing good signs of recovery after the early scare (complications) following the fall.
"I was expecting this suspension but at the same time, I'm glad to see Zuriman back on his feet," said Beasley.
"These things happen in racing, but you don't want to see your fellow jockeys get hurt. Zuriman was amazing in the inquiry as he never blamed me for the fall, but the Stewards had to do their job as a jockey fell off and that's a more severe penalty on the MRA (Malayan Racing Association) books.
"I'm not sure if I'll head back to Australia but I would like to hang around for a while just to stick with one very nice two-year-old I rode in a trial for James Peters today, Siam Sapphire.
"I think he's the best two-year-old I've sat on this year. He jumped like a gazelle before but he was a bit fresh and missed the start today. There was a bit of kickback in front of him, which was all a good experience for him." -STC