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A hush fell over Kranji when noted stayer Zip A Dee Doo Dah turned in a bottler of a finish to score first-up in a sprint race, but trainer Leslie Khoo for one said he did not fall off his chair.
Zip A Dee Doo Dah was returning from a long layoff – six months - and the $161 odds echoed the general belief the 1200m trip of the BM67 race on February 12 was too sharp for a horse known more as a grinder, but it would be a nice wind-opener towards more suitable races. His three previous wins at Kranji last year were posted over a distance ranging between 1600m and 2000m, while he just missed the cut in last year’s Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m).
Ridden by first-time partner Michael Rodd at that comeback race where he slipped under the radar of most, Zip A Dee Doo Dah came from last to literally zip past each and every one of his 12 rivals for a most stunning first-up win.
Khoo was not around to witness the feat from the stands, but was not in total disbelief when the good news came through.
The former top jockey will be on hand this time when the Cecconi five-year-old steps out in Sunday’s $80,000 Kranji Stakes C race over 1600m, spurred on by a greater level of confidence, but certainly not one going over the top.
“He was helped by the fast pace. Before the race, we all thought 1200m might be too sharp, but stayers can do that first-up,” said Khoo.
“He was 20kgs up in body weights, but I didn’t think he was fat. He looked okay in the parade ring, but I thought he needed at least 1600m.
“I was confident he would run well, though. When they stopped in front, the stayer in him was still running on.
“He’s pulled up good since that run and I expect him to run another good race as he’s a lot fitter second-up. But it won’t be the same story as the pace will be slower over the mile.”
To be ridden by Glen Boss, Zip A Dee Doo Dah is also tackling better horses who are at the same time cut from the same cloth as him. The likes of Kirks Ryker, Bring Money Home and Magstock will be harder to get past this Sunday, but Khoo said tougher tests lay ahead of him down the road, anyway.
“We’ll just take our time running him in such races and hopefully, we can go for the cup races later in the year, but he’s got to keep going through his grades,” said Khoo, who has yet to break his duck in feature races in Singapore, having come the closest with the now-retired Fastnet Dragon.
One horse, or rather filly, who could shape up as group race material for Khoo this term is Queen Roulette, who trialled under his watchful eyes and those of his right-hand man Lee Soo Hin on Thursday.
The daughter of former Kranji-based French import Ruwi has produced some scintillating runs that certainly knocked the wind out of the sails of her rivals last term. She won three races all up, including beating smart three-year-old Skywalk in a Graduation race over 1200m before being spelled after her last run when a closing third to Noble Liaison in November.
Khoo is now gearing the home-bred (by Ruwi’s owner Teng Kian Beng who also owns the dam Fraar’s Salome, another former Kranji galloper) up for her comeback trail towards the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, and was happy with what he saw at Thursday’s trials. Ridden by Saifudin Ismail, Queen Roulette sat off the speed set by Super Warrior (Mark Ewe) before jogging along to second-last place as the swoopers finished hard on the outside.
“She just had an easy trial today. Saifudin didn’t push her, I was happy with that run,” said Khoo.
“This is her second trial from a break. I will bring her back in a Class 4 race over 1200m on Polytrack next Friday.
“Nooresh Juglall gets along with that filly and will ride her. She’s three and if she goes well, then I will set her for the 3YO series.”
Juglall was aboard the winner Parliament for his No 1 supporter, Ricardo Le Grange, in that barrier trial, but had an eye on Khoo’s filly on his inside before they shot past her in the home straight.
“I will ride Queen Roulette at her comeback next week. It’s a filly that I really like and Leslie has done a good job to bring her back to race fitness,” said the Mauritian jockey.
“As for the 3YO series, nothing has been decided yet. We will soon have a better idea.”
The first Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge is the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) which will be run on March 26.
