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Trainer Saimee Jumaat took the training honours with a race-to-race double courtesy of Red Riding Wood and Trigamy on Friday night.
While 25-1 shot Red Riding Wood’s neck-win in the $38,000 Kranji Stakes D race over 1600m was not one Saimee had been too bullish about, he was certainly a lot more hopeful for Trigamy ($12) in the $38,000 Kranji Stakes D race over 1200m, except for one nagging doubt – his tardy starts.
But well ridden by Saimee’s former apprentice jockey Noh Senari, the heavy-set son of Wanted jumped on terms this time around, floating in a smothered spot within the first tier of the field before going on to assert his superiority once he was angled out for his run at the top of the straight.
Granted, luck did play a part when Everybody Happy (Michael Rodd) saw his escape route on the rails vanish at the 300m as leader David’s Star (Iskandar Rosman) got the wanders and closed the gap as he shied away from Tax Free (Syahir Abdul), who was wobbling about when he found himself on his lonesome in front.
Tax Free did cut into Trigamy’s path as he ducked back out, but Noh was able to steer his mount clear of trouble. The Lim’s Stable-owned five-year-old went straight as a die once he shot past Tax Free to post a three-quarter length win.
The luckless Everybody Happy recovered well to take third place another neck away. The winning time was 1min 10.6secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
“It’s a nice double for the stable, the first one was a surprise, and I was just praying the second one came through,” said Saimee.
“I was holding my breath when the gates opened (for Trigamy). He missed the start at his last run and was a good thing beaten.
“This was the right race for him, the real Trigamy showed up tonight. He jumped well and he was too smart for them.”
Noh said riding Trigamy is akin to sitting on top of a ticking bomb, but Friday night was one of those nights when the detonator was kept in check.
“He’s such a big horse and so stubborn. I’m so relieved I was not hit in the head by his 600kg frame during the race,” said Noh who was at a riding double having kicked off proceedings with the Steven Burridge-trained even-money favourite Mach in the first race, the $38,000 Kranji Stakes D Division 2 race over 1200m.
“Once he jumped well, I was more confident he would run well.”
Trigamy has now taken his record to three wins and one second from 19 starts for stakes earnings around the $80,000 mark for connections.