3 minute read

A good old spray from the boss can often produce results, as jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim found out on Friday night.

One week ago, the former two-time Singapore champion jockey took only one ride for the whole night, Zippy General, and they finished a closing fifth, but trainer Steven Burridge, who was A’Isisuhairi’s master during his formative years, let it be known in no uncertain terms he was not a happy man after his former apprentice jumped off.

A’Isisuhairi defended his ride as best as he could but the Australian handler, himself a former jockey, would have none of it. In other words, Budgie just wouldn’t budge, and neither was Harry in a hurry to back down.

While some may feel such verbal stoushes are like watching a train wreck, they do encapsulate the intensity and passion that fuel our horse racing industry at times.

But at the end of the day, trainers giving jockeys a shelling for a bad ride is part of racing folklore. It doesn’t (always) mean they are Splitsville-bound, it’s just a fair crack of the whip and then, it’s time to move on.

Proof there were no ill-feelings between the two men was Burridge booking A’Isisihairi for his only two rides on Friday – Mozart Eclipse (Race 1) and Moritz Eclipse (Race 7) – and it would seem the pep talk worked.

They both won. Besides being both owned by the Eclipse Stable, they are also both by top New Zealand stallion Darci Brahma.

“I gave him a good rev-up the other night and see what it’s done to him. He goes out and rides two winners tonight – and they’re both for the same owners (Eclipse Stable),” said Burridge with a wink.

“We had a few words, but that’s racing. He said his piece, I said mine and it’s all good.

“He rode both horses very well. The first winner (Mozart Eclipse) was coming along nicely and he produced him at the right time to get the win.

“The second winner (Moritz Eclipse) ran a nice race first-up (third to Starshine three weeks ago). He went off the boil and was probably too highly-classed.

“He dropped down as he’s not a great doer, but he’s come back good. The staff has done a good job and Harry’s done a good job, too.”

A’Isisuhairi said he would be lying if his pride was not bruised after the exchange of harsh words, but he took his responsibilities and did what other professionals would do – head back to work and take on board the lessons learned.

“Mr Burridge knows how I ride, but let’s say we agreed to disagree after that ride,” said A’Isisuhairi tactfully.

“We have moved on and tonight, I rode two winners, both for him and the same owners. I had only two rides tonight and to win two from two is very satisfying.

“When I last rode Mozart Eclipse, he gave me a good feeling and the field was not that strong tonight. At the top of the straight, he got a bit lost, but he showed a very good turn of foot to win.

“He’s only three and is still very green but will improve once he knows what racing is all about.”

A’Isisuhairi was unsurprisingly getting the bigger kick from the other Eclipse winner as he can take pride in the fact he is the only jockey to have won on the four-year-old in 10 previous starts thus far. They combined for two wins at his first two runs.

“I know this horse well as I rode and won on him early in his career,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the opportunities on him dropped, but things go in circles at times. The ride came back to me, and he got the job done tonight.”

Mozart Eclipse ($28) took out the opening event, the $35,000 Class 5 race over 1400m, by hitting the front at the 300m before grinding his way to the line, three-quarter length ahead of Perfect Curiosity (Koh Teck Huat), clocking 1min 23.01secs for the 1400m on the Short Course.

Moritz Eclipse’s ($24) win in the $60,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1200m was fashioned out in more spectacular style. As Winning Man (Koh) burned up the track upfront, Moritz Eclipse settled in sixth place, waiting for the last 300m to get going on the outside.

Favourite Gato Negro (Oscar Chavez), Panache (Alan Munro) and Lim’s Shot (Danny Beasley) were waging a close fight at the 200m, but Moritz Eclipse, the fresh horse on the scene, gunned them down on the outside to beat Panache by half-a-length.

Gato Negro had to settle for third place, just holding off the fast-finishing McGregor (Zuriman Zulkifli). The winning time was 1min 9.78secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.

Burridge, who actually landed a hat-trick of wins with $17 favourite Country Quack (Danny Beasley) scoring in the $35,000 Open Maiden race over 1200m, was glad he was greeted with better news after his fruitless trip to Dubai from which he returned bleary-eyed on Friday morning.

Elite Excalibur (Michael Rodd) ran sixth to the Aga Khan-owned Zarak (Christophe Soumillon) in the US$200,000 Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes (2000m) on Thursday night. The Fastnet Rock four-year-old, who had four starts at Meydan with a second place as his best result, is coming home.

“He is coming back to Singapore. He should have won at least one race, but things didn’t quite work out for him overall,” said Burridge.