By Sharon Zhang, Singapore Turf Club
Comeback jockey Ronnie Stewart finally rode his first winner when Charger took out the opener on Saturday.
The timely win also handed his daughter Dakota the perfect present for her second birthday, albeit one day late.
The Australian jockey is married to ex-Kranji jockey Sheryl Cheam. After plying his trade in Brisbane, the 38-year-old hoop recently moved to Singapore with his little family after he was granted a licence to ride at Kranji this season.
Since beginning his new stint on March 19, it has taken the three-time Singapore Gold Cup-winning jockey 40 rides to open his account, hence the reception of that elusive win with a huge sigh of relief.
“It took a bit longer, but it’s a relief to get a winner,” said Stewart, who last plied his trade in Singapore from 2006 to 2011, before returning for a one-day visit in 2017.
“The approach is a bit different nowadays, but I still try my best to get support around. I ride work for quite a few of the trainers and Stephen (Crutchley) is one of them.
“I thought Dabble would lead the race, but he was scratched.
“He’s shown that he has a bit of speed to put himself up there, and it was a nice run from him.
“The main concern was the Long Course C, but Stephen has done a good job preparing the horse.
“I’ve done a bit of work on the horse this week and last week. His fitness is good.
“It was my daughter’s birthday yesterday, and we had a nice celebration with the family.
“They’ve got a party today, so they’re not here, but I’m sure they would be watching the race on Youtube.
“Hopefully, there will be more winners and support to come.”
Last year’s Group 1 Sydney Cup-winning jockey (aboard the Chris Waller-trained Selino) jumped straight on the lead after Charger broke from barrier two (effectively the inside with Dabble scratched in barrier No 1) in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1200m.
Stewart controlled the pace to a nicety before giving the seven-year-old a few reminders in the last furlong just to keep his mind on the job.
The $14 favourite pulled away to a two-and-a-half-length win from Sun Rectitude (Iskandar Rosman) with Beer Garden (Akmazani Mazuki) third another length away, in front of a roaring Grandstand crowd, a scene last witnessed at Kranji when Ocean Crossing won the last race on March 20, 2020.
Racing continued for two more weeks without crowds before the three-month shutdown during the Circuit Breaker. It resumed on July 9, but has been held behind closed doors since until Saturday.
The winning time was 1 min 10.08secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.
Stewart went on to bag a treble with two winners in the last two races. The Tim Fitzsimmons-trained Gold Star ($92) claimed hot favourite Lim’s Kosciuszko to take out the highlight of the day, the $100,000 Class 1 race over 1400m (see later report), while Silent Is Gold ($50) put on a powerful frontrunning display to land the $50,000 Class 4 Division Race 2 over 1200m for trainer Donna Logan in the Lucky Last.
Racing fans will have to go back to November 13, 2011 to dig up Stewart’s last winner, who was no less the Hideyuki Takaoka-trained El Dorado etching their names in Singapore racing history with a record-equalling third Singapore Gold Cup after the first two captured in 2008 and 2009 and 2011.
Crutchley for one was happy to again hear the cheers from the punters at the winner’s circle.
“It’s nice to see the crowd back here. This is the racing we know,” said the first-season handler from New Zealand.
“He (Charger) has dropped in grade to Class 5 now, so I expected him to go well, but some of the others in there were not too bad too.
“I thought he would be a bit too quick for these earlier on because he’s not a bad horse after all.
“We thought we would let him travel and not hold him back.
“Ronnie rode him very well. He gave the horse an easy time early and just let him run home.
“He rides trackwork for me often, and he won on him in the trials last Tuesday (April 19).
“It’s a pretty easy win and I’m happy for Ronnie’s first winner.”
Charger has recorded seven wins and 14 placings from 55 starts, earning more than $460,000 in prizemoney for the Toast Trusts & J.Ho Stable.
