By Sharon Zhang, Singapore Turf Club
Up-and-coming stayer Mr Black Back impressed many after he broke another Class record following a smart all-the-way win in the $70,000 Wild Geese 2014 Stakes, a Class 3 race over 1800m on Saturday.
The five-year-old son of Snitzel made all at his first win in Singapore second-up in a Class 4 race and set a new Class record of 1min 21.35secs on the Short Course over the seven furlongs.
Two weeks later, the $9 favourite certainly relished the extra two furlongs as he led from start to finish under jockey Manoel Nunes to beat Super Impact (Jake Bayliss) by a length on the post. Hardcore (Matthew Kellady) finished another two-and-a-quarter lengths away in third.
The Australian gelding won in a new record time of 1min 47.26secs on the Long Course over the 1800m, shaving off 0.05secs from Real Success’s old record in 2019.
Winning trainer Tim Fitzsimmons was elated to see Mr Black Back pass the staying test with flying colours, which is a great boost to his chances of facing the starter in his ultimate goal, the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on November 19.
“Nunes said he was struggling to pull him up after the race,” said the Australian handler.
“He’s a free-running horse and wants to be up on the speed. There was the option to sit off (the speed) but I think he’s a natural frontrunner, and a small field is tricky and things might not work out the way you want them to.
“He’s tough to run past and if he gets into the Gold Cup with a lightweight, he’s going to be a live chance. I think he would lead them easily over the 2000m.
“Hopefully that few more points he gets will be enough to get him into the Gold Cup. Then, he could probably get 50 or 51 (kgs on handicaps) and we’ll see who’s available. If we have to fly someone in, we will.
“Everything’s been quite rushed for him but to do what he has done, he’s a really exciting horse.
“(Bloodstock agent) Josh (McLoughlan) found the horse and (owner) Aloysius Chew put together a group of owners (Black House Stable) in this horse. It’s a great result for them.”
After bagging a double on Lim’s Craft ($12) and Ejaz ($6) in the $50,000 Top Knight 2020 Stakes, a Class 4 Division 2 race (1400m) and the $$75,000 Laughing Gravy 2016 Stakes, a Novice race (1200m) respectively, Nunes picked up another winning ride when fellow jockey Vlad Duric could not meet the weight.
“It’s a small field and tricky to ride because (trainer) James’ (Peters) horse (Amore Amore) is a speedy horse,” said the Brazilian rider who has all but parcelled up a fourth Singapore champion jockey title given he now stands 27 wins clear of the second-placed jockey Wong Chin Chuen (39 winners) on the jockeys’ premiership.
“My horse was quick out of the machines and he put himself there to control the pace.
“What he did in only three starts has shown that he’s a good horse.
“Tim and his team have done an amazing job, considering the prep was rushed to get him to the Gold Cup.”
Mr Black Back came to Singapore on the back of two wins and three seconds from six starts in Australia when known as Maranoa, and the promising galloper has now recorded two wins and one third in three starts here, taking his earnings close to the $70,000 mark for the connections.
