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There was again a touch of bittersweet win in the air after Japanese mare Makanani charged late to claim the $100,000 The Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy, a Kranji Stakes B race over the mile on Sunday.
The previous race’s winner was Lionrockspirit in the $80,000 Happy Valley Stakes, a Kranji Stakes C race over 2000m (see previous report). Both races were seen as the ‘consolation stakes’ to the highlight of the day, the $1.35 million Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) later in the proceedings.
Both Lionrockspirit and Makanani were Gold Cup entries who unfortunately did not make the cut in the end with the field restricted to only 16 runners. Lionrockspirit was 25th on the list and had no chance of vaulting in whereas Makanani had a faint chance as she was the second emergency, but she was a scratching in the end.
Trainer Lee Freedman was no doubt rapt Lionrockspirit had won, but could not help wondering what might have been if he had run in the big one instead. He was joined by Takaoka, a master craftsman come Singapore Gold Cup time, in the mixed feelings department a few minutes later.
“I’m happy, but at the same time disappointed she didn’t get a run in the Gold Cup,” said Takaoka who has four Singapore Gold Cups to his name (El Dorado in 2008, 2009, 2011 and Better Life in 2012).
“She’s a very good mare and I had planned the Gold Cup for her for some time. There is always next year!”
Winning jockey Olivier Placais’s wry smile at the weigh-in added to the sense of unfinished business.
“Happy she won, but with a light weight, the Short Course, she would have been dangerous in the Gold Cup,” said the French jockey.
“Mr Takaoka’s stable has not been in good form, but I’m happy she has won a race for them today.
“I was a bit worried about the track. Sometimes, good horses don’t run as nice in such wet tracks.
“I was a bit scared in the straight as the other horse (What’s New) had shot clear, but she was very brave and caught her.”
It was indeed a battle between the two mares – and two leading picks - in the race in the end. Cliff Brown’s mare What’s New (Michael Rodd, $17 favourite) looked to have the race shot to pieces when she came storming to the head of affairs at the 300m with the other horses paddling away in the rain-soaked track.
After breaking away to a big lead in front, Hermano Menor (William Pike) who is raced by the same owner as Makanani’s, Masa Otani of Big Valley Stable, but trained by Steven Burridge, and Viviano (Hanafi Noorman) were left as sitting ducks in the straight with What’s New capitalising first and quickly being hailed the winner, but Makanani ($18) had timed her run better.
Having all along bided her time in midfield, Takaoka’s handy stayer looked caught on the backfoot, and to compound matters, she copped a check at the 300m, but she was not out of contention yet.
Finding a second wind, she swept past What’s New on the outside to get the upperhand by one length. Outpaced throughout, Golazo (Marc Lerner) plodded home late for third place another 3 ¾ lengths away, a short head in front of Viviano.
Makanani ran the mile on the Short Course in 1min 36.08secs and has now taken her stakes earnings close to the $290,000 mark for the Big Valley Stable after that fifth win from 21 starts.