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Wolf Warrior gave a pretty solid proof that turf was not his cup of tea following a smashing win in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1100m on Friday night.
The American-bred opened his account in style on Polytrack at his third start only to fail badly at his next run when switched to the other surface in a Novice race 12 days later.
Noh Senari, who was aboard at both runs, had only one feedback on his lips as he marched up to trainer Alwin Tan after the last-start defeat: He hates grass.
You didn’t have to be a brain surgeon to guess the next move.
Back on the alternative track, Wolf Warrior was a completely different proposition. He was floating, even after he was a little sluggish out of the gates and had to be heeled along to muster speed.
Leader Pioneer Seven (Iskandar Rosman) was holding sway quite well at the 300m, but as Wolf Warrior hit top gear, the race was all over in the twinkling of an eye.
The Midnight Lute four-year-old roared towards a convincing 2 ¾-length win from Pioneer Seven with Super Six (John Powell) third another half-length away. The winning time was 1min 6.25secs for the 1100m.
“He’s a Polytrack horse. Noh told me after his last race that he was uncomfortable on turf,” said Tan.
“I ran him on Polytrack again tonight, and it’s paid off. Credit to Noh, he rode him very well even after they missed the jump.
“He didn’t panic. He has a very good instinct with this horse.”
Tan let in he held Wolf Warrior in very high esteem, but the fact he was just a Polytrack lover made him one-dimensional.
“I guess I’ll keep him on the Polytrack. It’s a pity as he’s a very good horse,” said Tan.
“He’s four, but the four-year-old feature races are all on turf.”
Tan was referring to the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1400m) and Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m). They used to be the first and third Legs of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, but with the discontinuation of the middle Leg, the Group 1 Charity Cup (ex-Patron’s Bowl), the series has ceased to exist from this year.
Noh said he went into the race reasonably bullish, but with only one nagging doubt – his getaway.
“I was only scared of the barriers,” said the current leading jockey (eight winners, one clear of Michael Rodd who hit back with a double aboard Ararat Lady and What’s New).
“It wasn’t a perfect start, but once you get him going, he was travelling very well. At the 400m, I just said ‘come on, baby’ – these were my last words to him, and he just took off.
“Credit to the guys at the stable, like (former apprentice jockey) Kelvin Ng. They have done a great job to maintain his condition.”
With that second win, Wolf Warrior has taken his prizemoney level somewhere around the $40,000 mark for the Chin Heng Stable.