By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
We were talking about “the Revolution” after Race 7 but just a tad over 30 minutes later, the conversation had changed to how good Saifudin Ismail was!
An extremely popular figure on the Singapore racing scene and currently the oldest jockey to ply his trade at Kranji, the veteran jockey had just one winner from 102 rides in 2022 before a race-to-race double had everyone smiling.
It was not a huge surprise when Revolution ($34) got the ball rolling after winning the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1200m on the Polytrack but not even the biggest Saifudin fans gave Twelfth Night ($180) much of a chance in the very next race.
But win he did – albeit by the smallest of margins – when the man who turns 54 on Wednesday lifted the five-year-old home in a $30,000 Class 5 event over 1600m on the turf.
“I thought he had a small chance today,” said the happy hoop.
“It was very close at the end (photo finish), but I knew he got the win.”
An experienced jockey like Saifudin would know if he got the bob on the line but it did take the Singapore Turf Club judges a few minutes before releasing the result, which gave connections and winning punters some anxious moments.
No such problem for connections of Revolution – the Falcon Racing No 7 Stable – with the six-year-old winning comfortably by just over a length over the fast-finishing Intrepid (Zyrul Nor Azman).
While the win was not a surprise as he had support in what was a race with many chances, it was amazingly Revolution’s first win since July 2019.
“He’s got ability but then he always got a fast speed at a couple of (recent) runs and doesn’t have the speed to follow the pace,” explained Saifudin.
“He jumped well in today’s small field (over) 1200m, so I let him sit where he’s happy, tried to improve and ride him to the line.
“Not so much pace today and the small field got him there.”
The win was also a relief for trainer Alwin Tan who, like Saifudin, had a lean year with only three winners to his name leading into Saturday’s meeting.
“Yes, I have no doubt he loved the Polytrack a lot,” Tan told racing presenter Scott Bailey after the race.
“I have to thank the owner, he has the patience. He (Revolution) bled twice, has been resting the last six months and I think Saifudin did a good job on this horse today.”
Nunes’ 2000th winner and counting
While a Saifudin double trumps most things on a non-feature race day, it was not lost on astute Manoel Nunes fans – including those in the broadcast box – that his fourth winner of the day was also win no. 2000 in what is a stellar career.
The Brazilian ace was on fire early – we expect nothing else – with Tahki ($20) winning the first in a $30,000 Class 5 division 1 race followed by the red-hot favourite Flashfast ($7) winning in a $75,000 Restricted Maiden race, before Wawasan ($20) made it a treble and win no. 1999 in Race 4, a $30,000 Class 5 race.
Race favourite Ksatria ($15) went close but could not quite get Nunes to the milestone in Race 6 and the hot and cold Boy Xander ($30) was definitely the latter (cold!) in Race 7 when finishing well back in eighth.
But Nunes didn’t have to wait much longer to bring up his 2000th winner, when Loving Babe ($32) – who always goes well for experienced jockeys – just put his nose in front when it mattered in Race 9, a $30,000 Class 5 division 2 race.
The four-timer and career win no. 2000 takes Nunes’ season tally to 55 and when you consider it is not yet June and he is already 34 winners ahead of his nearest rival Oscar Chavez, this could be a year to remember for the gun hoop.
Seow’s hat-trick on Axel
In one of the more interesting races on the day– a $50,000 Class 4 race over 1700m on the Polytrack – an in-form Axel ($20) knocked in his seventh career win.
No surprise there – although both rider (Jerlyn Seow) and Axel had to work very hard late to hold off a gallant Etwas Neues (Zyrul, $101)- as the race suited and the horse was well in the market.
The surprise – or maybe just another good news story on what was an enjoyable day of racing – was that win was the third in the partnership between the only female rider in Singapore and Axel, the horse that gave Seow her first win in the saddle back in April 2021.
“He is a very special horse to me,” gushed Seow.
“When I was still green and learning how to ride, he was one of the horses that (ex-Kranji trainer) Mark (Walker) put me on to give me confidence.
“He isn’t too quiet at trackwork but he’s a very nice ride and was sensible. Of course, he gave me my first winner and also my first stable winner this year.
“It is the third time he wins for me now. So much love for him!”
Worthy mentions elsewhere on the card
In the jockeys’ ranks, Ronnie Stewart continued his good run of late by knocking in a double with Proof Perfect ($14) in the $50,000 Class 4 division 2 race over 1200m and Headhunter ($88) in the Lucky Last, a $$50,00 Class 4 race over 1000m.
Donna Logan’s stellar run of form saw the stable leading in another two winners in the above-mentioned Flashfast and Axel.
In fact, Logan’s double continued her run of multiple winners at a meeting to five – starting with a double on April 30 – and brings her May total to nine, rapidly eating into the Tim Fitzsimmons’ lead in the trainers’ premiership, which now stands at six.
Bring on June!
