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Jockey Soo Khoon Beng made the most of a pick-up ride aboard Honest Truth in the $55,000 Ninetyfive Emperor 2003 Handicap (Class 4 Division 2) over 1000m on Polytrack to get on the board on Sunday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Trainer Theo Kieser gave Soo – whom he often uses anyway – the nod as the replacement jockey aboard the Patinack Farm Stable-owned gelding after jockey V Sivan called in sick and was stood down from his riding engagements.
Soo, who was unsuccessful aboard favourite Zeus Thunder, also prepared by Kieser, in the first Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe Series, the Inglis Melbourne Juvenile Stakes (1000m), certainly did not let the opportunity to make amends for the South African trainer slip by.
Not that Kieser really minded as he had still taken out the juvenile feature with his second fancy, debutant Griffin, who was entrusted to leading jockey Joao Moreira.
But Soo turned in a 10-out-of-10 frontrunning ride aboard the former Brisbane speedster to scrape home by a head in a three-way thriller from favourite Californian Star (Opie Bosson) with Naturalbornfighter (Joao Moreira) third another nose away. The winning time was 58.99 seconds.
Honest Truth ($50), who ran fifth over 1200m at debut when ridden by Sivan, sprang out of barrier No 8 to vie for the early lead, which he was able to secure 100m from the start.
Californian Star posied up outside him while Naturalbornfighter was in the slipstream in third spot on the rails - the order in which the threesome would actually finish at the winning post.
Turning for home, Californian Star looked like he could overhaul the leader anytime he pleased, but Soo kept scrubbing up his mount who, to his credit, fought back doggedly on the rails. Naturalbornfighter was also joining in the fight on the outside, but Honest Truth stuck his head out right on the line.
The Brian Dean-trained Royce (Koh Teck Huat) did loom up as a threat at the 200m but had to settle for fourth another 1 ¼ lengths away.
“On his first run, I thought he got a bit tired over 1200m. That's why I decided to bring him back over 1000m,” said Kieser.
“That race suited him perfectly. I was a little worried about the gate but I told KB to take him to the front and he held on good.
“Sivan is the one who rides this horse in his work, but when he called in sick, I gave KB a chance and he's done a great job.”
Kieser revealed he linked up with Mr Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm Stable, one of Australia's most powerful racing outfits, after a fellow trainer put in a few good words.
“Cliffy (Brown) is the one who recommended me to them. He said I was an up-and-coming trainer at Kranji and to put some horses with me.
“I currently have three horses for them. This is my first win for them at my third starter.”
Besides Honest Truth's debut run, Employed (unplaced) was the other Kieser runner who has already carried the famous blue, green and yellow silks of the mining magnate at Kranji. Ortmayer is the other third galloper and has yet to start.
The Patinack Farm Stable has been racing horses with Brown in the last three seasons, with Abeyant and Feared the only victors until Honest Truth on Sunday.