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Former handy Australian two-year-old Running Tall was right on target at his first Singapore race on Sunday to put himself in good stead for the upcoming Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Previously prepared by Melbourne trainer Danny O'Brien for one of Singapore's most famous owners, the Lucky Stable, the now three-year-old by Stratum, mixed it with Australia's leading juveniles last season, scoring one win, which was in the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington a year ago, beating Michael Freedman's current exciting prospect Masthead into fourth.
Prior to that Group 2 success, Running Tall counts a third at debut in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) where Masthead again ran fourth and a second to eventual Golden Slipper winner, Darley's Sepoy in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m).
Running Tall wound up his Australian career (10 starts) with a sixth in a Listed race over 1400m, but Masthead turned the tables on him that time around as he ran second to the winner (Galah), more than three lengths in advance of Running Tall.
Once regarded as a powerhouse outfit, the Lucky Stable, which has considerably scaled down its horse-racing interests since property tycoon Ng Teng Fong passed away, then decided to send the promising sprinter to Singapore, where they currently race just one runner Lucky Sun with David Kok. Running Tall was sent under the care of reigning Singapore champion trainer Patrick Shaw, who though not his main Singapore trainer in the past, did prepare a few of them about eight years ago.
With such a glittering resume to his name in Melbourne, the expectations were high at Running Tall's Kranji debut in the $65,000 Novice race over 1200m on Polytrack, especially after he gave a sneak preview of his potential when second to star stablemate Rocket Man in a barrier trial on March 20.
Though he was inclined to overrace a little during the race, Running Tall ($8) was always put in the gun spot by jockey Barend Vorster from the start, camped on the girth of race-leader Mr Whyte (Soo Khoon Beng). Turning for home, Running Tall easily swept past the leader to open up a winning break but weakened late to score by 1 ½ lengths from Man Of Substance (John Sundradas) with Foxtrot Hotel (Danny Beasley) third another head away.
The winning time was 1min 11.9secs.
With Shaw currently in Dubai to oversee the preparation of Rocket Man towards his tilt at back-to-back wins in the US$2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) on March 31, assistant-trainer Ricardo Le Grange was on hand to lead in their 11th winner for the year.
“It's always a bit of a pressure to handle a horse who came to us with such a huge reputation,” said Le Grange.
“He was no doubt a smart two-year-old back in Australia, but I think we made the right decision to geld him as he was very coltish when he arrived (last December).
“His form improved from trial to trial when the blinkers came on. He was up against a good strong field and he did well to win first-up.
“He was a bit keen but that is okay as it was his first race here. He had the race won at the top of the straight.
“It is also a great honour to train another horse for the Lucky Stable. We've had a bit of an association in the past and that is for now the only horse we train for them.”
Le Grange said 1400m and even longer journeys could be the way to go with their new resident.
“He won a 1400m race back home. He got a bit tired towards the end today but he can definitely get more ground,” said Le Grange.
“We will look at running him in the last two Legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.”
The second Leg, the Group 2 Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m) is held on April 22 while the third Leg, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) is run on May 18.
Vorster said a lot of work had been put into Running Tall before he could make his Singapore racing debut.
“He's a nice individual but he's needed a little bit of work, especially on his action,” said the South African hoop.
“He's still a young horse and is still very green as he looks around a lot. But the day we put the blinkers on him, I knew that was it, they just clicked on straightaway.
“I had to work on him to get him across and that's why he got a bit tired towards the end.”
Vorster was also delighted he had brought up a winner in the famous purple and red star silks, as he vaguely remembered Shaw used to train a few for them when he just started riding at Kranji.
“There were a few Argentinian-breds and one pretty good Class 1 sort who ran a place in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, when he went to (former Kranji trainer) Trevor Bailey,” said Vorster.
“They are a prestigious name here and it was nice to ride a winner for them.”
Le Grange added Rocket Man had travelled well to Dubai on Saturday.
“He travelled very well and has already settled in there nicely. All's well,” he said.