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Fastnet Rock four-year-old Rockfast has done his Derby aspirations no harm with a scintillating victory in the $80,000 Kranji Stakes C race over 2000m on Friday night.
The Mark Walker-trained gelding has been building up slowly but surely towards the Group 1 showpiece over 2000m, without fanfare, but that latest win, which was coming off the back of another win over 2000m, was by far the best endorsement for a shot at the Emirates Singapore Derby.
Travelling at the rear as is his customary pattern, Rockfast (Manoel Nunes) was in no hurry to bridge the gap with early leader Air Force One (Corey Brown) who had Remember Me (Glen Boss) not leaving him an inch from the outset.
The pace was a tad slow with the field not all that strung out, but steady enough until the 600m mark when Air Force One, with whom he shared joint $15 favouritism, upped the ante a notch. Remember Me levelled up, but could not go on with the job.
For a while it looked like Steven Burridge’s bold frontrunner had the race all stitched up. But Rockfast, who had to duck and weave a little as Remember Me drifted out in front of him, suddenly sprang out of nowhere to make his bid. In two bounds, he swept past Air Force One to eventually go and score a very soft win, one length clear.
Air Force One nearly lost the runner-up spot to the flying Sunny (Wong Chin Chuen) who missed out by a whisker. The winning time was 2min 4.28secs for the 2000m on the Short Course.
Walker played down the impressiveness of the win by invoking the state of the track as a major contributor, but knows full well he has his Derby runner on July 10.
“This horse grows a leg when it rains. He likes the jar out of the track,” said the Singapore champion trainer.
“He’s twice the horse he is when he gets such underfoot conditions. He is a big-set horse who can feel the ground when it’s hard.
“I have to say he is peaking at the right time and he’s not without his chance in the Derby. He will go straight to the Derby now.”
Nunes said the Te Akau Stable-owned galloper, who ran second in the Group 1 New Zealand Guineas two years ago, would be a strong Derby runner, but he had to stay on top of Stewards’ Cup winner Titanium, whom he will ride in this Sunday’s Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m).
“That was probably his best run to-date. He showed a very impressive turn of foot,” said the two-time Singapore champion jockey.
“He’s really flying and well done to Mark and the boys who have brought him to the top of his game.
“I had him in a good spot in midfield, relaxed and travelling on the bit. I didn’t want to push the button too early with him as I know he’s got a nice turn of foot.
“I didn’t want him to go wide either and that’s why I waited for the home turn to find a run through the field. He scored a very soft win in the end, and to do it with 58kgs was even more impressive.
“I have no doubt he’ll be a good chance in the Derby but I’m already committed to Titanium. I hope he does the job on Sunday.”
Rockfast has now taken his tally to four wins and two placings from 15 starts for stakes earnings past the $175,000 mark for the Te Akau Racing Stable.