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French jockey Olivier Placais is making hay while the sun shines after he narrowed the gap on the two leading jockeys Vlad Duric and Michael Rodd, both out through suspension, with a riding double on Friday night.
Placais was on 56 winners, seven behind leader and reigning Singapore champion jockey Duric, going into the meeting (Rodd is second on 62 winners), but the two-win haul has nudged him a little closer.
His pet horse Little Big Man ($43) got him off to a great start after winning Race 4 on objection (see previous report) before Dash ($47) sealed a good night at the office two events later.
A five-year-old by Kaphero, Dash can mix his form a little, but under an inspired ride from Placais, he brought his A-game to land the $60,000 Class 4 Premier race over 1100m in fine style.
Coming off a handy berth, Dash, who was sporting the purple Club colours, went on to score by 1 ¾ lengths from Super Six (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) with Classified (Zyrul Nor Azman) third another half-a-length away.
The winning time was 1min 5.29secs for the 1100m speed dash on the Polytrack.
Thunderstruck, who was backed down to $19 favouritism after a promising fourth on debut, settled in fourth place in transit, but his condition gave out when jockey Matthew Kellady popped the question at the top of the straight. He ran eighth.
Duric is out till the Singapore Gold Cup meeting next Sunday while Rodd is back next Friday, but Placais is under no illusions he still has his job cut out in wresting the lead from his two rivals – and lasting it out till the end.
“I’m doing my best, but Michael will miss only Sunday’s meeting and Vlad will be back soon enough after the Gold Cup,” said Placais, a six-time champion jockey in Switzerland, who, regardless of the outcome of the title fight underway, is enjoying his best Singapore season in more than seven years spent here at three different stints.
“They went super fast in front. At the 400m, when Dash came on the outside of the other two horses (Super Six and leader Burkaan), he was travelling so well.
“But I was a bit scared at the 200m as he gave me the impression he was stopping, but he gave his all in the end and won a nice race.”
Winning trainer Daniel Meagher was delighted a commodity he bought for a song has already banked in more than $100,000 in prizemoney for his owner Koh Siok Choo. He has now won three races (Placais was also aboard at his previous win) from 18 starts.
“I’m really rapt Dash has won. I remember he was the fifth horse to join my yard when I started here back in 2016,” said the Australian handler.
“I bought him for only A$22,500 at the Ready-To-Run Sale and he’s been a genuine little horse for us.
“Oli rode him very well and it’s great for the team to have another winner tonight.”
Dash’s win consolidates Meagher’s fifth place on the Singapore trainer’s premiership on 39 winners, 15 behind current leader, Lee Freedman.