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After a relatively slow start to the 2012 season, trainer Steven Burridge has steadily picked up the pace in recent weeks and finally drew level with current leader Laurie Laxon on number of winners on Sunday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Beginning the weekend in fourth spot, five winners in arrears to the six-time champion, Burridge leap-frogged over fellow trainers Michael Freedman and Leslie Khoo courtesy of a prolific haul of five wins via a treble on Friday (Yastrzemski, Sacred Emblem and Royal Coffee) and a double on Sunday, brought up by Vaya Condios and Benji's Empire, to stand on terms with Laxon (who drew a blank including losing a race - Atiamuri - on protest over the weekend) on 43 winners.
But the 2010 Singapore champion trainer is not reading too much into his second spot (on a countback for seconds) on the log, only happy to knock in winners on a regular basis.
“I'm not too worried about being on top, but it's nice to be there. I'm certainly happy with the way things have been coming along,” said Burridge.
“The horses are hitting top form and I'm lucky to have strong staff and good teamwork at the stables. Jakki (Harrison) just joined us and has been one of the key team players.”
On his 43rd winner, the Australian conditioner admitted Benji's Empire ($41) was not a reliable sort, but is unbeatable on his day.
“He can gallop when he wants to. He's a very funny horse,” he said. “He is a very headstrong horse and has a mind of his own.
“He's no world-beater, but the kid followed instructions and rode him very well.
“I'm very happy for the owners who have backed him a few times before, and he had been disappointing.
“We have been trying to get him back in the shorter races, but that didn't seem to work. I think his favourite distance seems to be 1400m.”
Zuriman, a Kuala Lumpur-born apprentice jockey indentured to Malaysian-based trainer Richard Lines and who has been gaining experience at Kranji in recent months, was at a winning double having booted home the John O'Hara-trained Magic Diva five races earlier. The 26-year-old rider said two previous rides aboard Benji's Empire have been instrumental in getting the best out of the King Charlemagne five-year-old on Sunday.
“If you take a sit on this horse, he tends to hang out,” said Zuriman. “He is a free galloper and that's why I took a big break early. I was very confident he would go all the way.”
The B&J Stable-owned gelding began the best to take up the running from Running Tall (Barend Vorster) and No Respite (John Powell) while even-money favourite Good Loouken (Joao Moreira) was already hamstrung in traffic in midfield.
Benji's Empire suddenly cleared out to a six-length break coming downhill while most of his rivals including Good Loouken (under pressure from the 800m) looked like they had been caught on the backfoot.
Of the chasing pack, only Running Tall tried to reel him in but could only manage to chip away a couple of lengths to eventually run second three lengths in arrears. Encosta Diablo (Shafiq Rizuan) ran third another five lengths away.
The winning time was 1min 24.69secs for the 1400m on the Short Course.
Benji's Empire has now recorded five wins and seven placings for stakes earnings close to the $250,000 mark.