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While waiting for the next Malaysian-bound float, trainer Mark Walker has kept Eatons Gold on his racing tucker, and the honest galloper duly won in a pre-Kranji farewell of sorts on Sunday.
The 2015 Singapore champion trainer revealed he had already booked the Jet Spur eight-year-old’s shipment across the Causeway towards Penang trainer, fellow Kiwi Sharee Hamilton, but he had in the meantime kept him ticking over at home, and what better way to do that than toss him in a race itself.
Eatons Gold had actually been showing a bit of form at his last runs, mixing it competitively with the likes of Cavallo and Grand Cross. A drop back in his own grade did the trick as Eatons Gold proved too strong when he was set alight by jockey Shafiq Rizuan at the 300m in the $60,000 Open Benchmark 67 race over 1000m on Polytrack.
The $17 favourite powered away to an emphatic 1 ¼-length win from Mighty Conqueror (Azhar Ismail) for a Walker 1-2 with Dragon Kingdom (Derreck David) running on late for third another length away, after being badly held up for a run at the 300m.
The winning time was 59.1 seconds for the 1000m scamper.
Irish Group 2 winner Senator (Oscar Chavez) settled in a good handy spot early but weakened to finish sixth about three and a half lengths astern.
Walker and his assistant-trainer Gus Clutterbuck were naturally delighted with the quinella. They had a third runner in former Malaysian three-time winner Ivanhoe making his Kranji debut, and he can only improve on the back of his seventh place.
But despite being caught in the euphoria, Walker was not having second thoughts about putting Eatons Gold on the next available transport. No doubt, the useful galloper was bringing up his ninth win for the Fortuna NZ Racing Stable and more than $510,000 in stakes earnings, but Walker said any future endeavours would have to come under different skies.
“He was booked to go to Malaysia, but we thought we’d give him a few runs before he goes up,” said the Kiwi handler.
“He may be an eight-year-old, but he’s a happy old horse. The key is to keep them content, keep them happy.
“But win or lose today, he is going up to Malaysia to Sharee Hamilton. You can’t keep squeezing these old horses and there are no more races for him here.
“He’s been a good moneyspinner for us and John Galvin, and it’s time for him to try something else in Malaysia.
“The second horse also ran well although he was laying in. There was more room for him today, and I think he’s looking for 1100m now.”
Shafiq was relieved he had finally found the line after a forgettable Friday night where his two top fancies Jacks Secret and Major Tom were soundly beaten and an equally ordinary start to his Sunday afternoon.
“Friday was not a good night, and today, the bad run was continuing with my first three rides, but finally, I’ve won one today,” said Walker’s former apprentice jockey.
“Eatons Gold jumped quickly but the pace was not that hard until one horse quickened up in front at the 500m and that gave him something to chase.”
Eatons Gold has now taken his record to nine wins and 17 placings from 68 starts for stakes earnings that have now tipped over the half-a-million mark.