By Sharon Zhang, Singapore Turf Club
January looks to be an exciting find for trainer Donna Logan after he opened his account in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race (1400m) on Saturday.
Bought at NZ$75,000 for the Falcon Racing No 7 Stable at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale last year, the three-year-old son of Swiss Ace already impressed his New Zealand handler with two placings in two starts as she called him “an exciting horse coming through”.
The $7 favourite jumped from barrier one this time and bided his time behind leader Bestseller (Wong Chin Chuen) with Strong Ace (Faiz Khair) for company on his outside.
The latter failed to kick on in the straight but once jockey Simon Kok Wei Hoong peeled January off the back of Bestseller, he strode past the fading leader quickly.
Fight On (Jake Bayliss), who sweated for a gap to open at the 350m, wasted no time once he found daylight on the outside. The Shane Baertschiger-trained gelding motored home but was still beaten by the plucky January into second.
A neck separated the first two while Bestseller boxed on for third another two lengths away. The winning time was 1min 22.61secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
Logan flew out on Saturday morning to attend the Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YOs In Training Sale in Australia on Tuesday. Assistant-trainer Hamsha Aloysius was on hand to welcome the yard’s 55th winner of the season.
“He’s one to look out for next year I think,” said Aloysius.
“Today, we planned to sit off the speed. He stargazed a little when he hit the front but that’s because he’s immature.
“We still have to coax him to do the right thing now, but he’s a nice horse.
“There’s a Novice (race over the) 1400m on the turf on November 19 but we’ll see how he pulls up first and the boss will decide if she’ll run him or not.
“He may step up to the mile in future but for now we would stick to the seven furlongs.”
Kok agreed that his mount was slightly green when he got to the front, but he has a big heart.
“He was drawn wider the first time I rode him (on debut in a similar race on September 24), so I couldn’t get him closer, but he got there naturally today,” said the Ipoh-born rider.
“I just cuddled him up and the pace was genuine enough for him to travel.
“He felt a bit lost at the top of the straight when I brought him halfway out from Bestseller, so I gave him a few slaps on the Long Course and he chased the horse in front (Bestseller) very bravely.
“As soon as he got past him, I gave him a few more reminders. Though another horse (Fight On) came on his outside, he still fought on.
“He can step up to the mile.”
With that first win and two placings in three starts, January has now earned over $50,000 in prizemoney for connections.
