New Zealand-bred Distinctive Darci overcame a few traffic problems to gain the upper hand at the right time in the $250,000 Korea Racing Authority Trophy (1200m) on Sunday.
The talented three-year-old, rated 80 was facing a stiffer task measuring up against a higher benchmark at level weights, but from the way he burst through once he found daylight, there is every chance kiwi trainer Mark Walker and owner Dato Terry Lee have found themselves an above-average horse.
The son of The Oaks Stud based sire Darci Brahma looked bogged down from the start amongst a bunch of runners at the rear, and seemingly running into dead ends every time he tried to find a way out.
Distinctive Darci (Vlad Duric) fends off the fast-finishing Laser Storm (Wong Chin Chuen) to claim the Korea Racing Authority Trophy on Sunday, picture Singapore Turf Club
The $14 favourite’s only chance then resided in the way the leaders headed by Darc Bounty (Glen Boss) had gone like the clappers from the start. Surely, they would have to come back, but Duric was still riding on a wing and a prayer as the field swung for home.
Darc Bounty tried to rally again, as he had done so expeditiously against weaker opposition in the past, but soon threw in the towel this time around.
The swoopers did not wait long to make their presence felt. Pioneer Seven (Benny Woodworth) looked in full flight as he swept to the front with Daniel (Manoel Nunes) in hot pursuit.
But the moment Distinctive Darci found a gap at the 250m, the rip-roaring engine under the bonnet was finally able to be let loose. In one fell swoop, Distinctive Darci gobbled up the leaders one by one, before staving off a late charge from $109 longshot Laser Storm (Wong Chin Chuen) to go and fall in by half-a-length.
Daniel peaked on his run to finish third another 1 ¾ lengths away, one nose ahead of Pioneer Seven. The winning time was 1min 10.95secs for the 1200m journey on the Polytrack.
With that sixth win from 12 starts, Distinctive Darci has swollen his bank account past the S$380,000 mark for the Fairdeal Stable.
Distinctive Darci was purchased at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sales for NZ$100,000 by Te Akau Racing.
With Walker away at the Gold Coast, it was fellow New Zealander and assistant-trainer Gus Clutterbuck who did the honours at the prize presentation.
“They went really hard and that suited him. I was not really worried he was so far back behind horses as he is a horse who runs better when he comes to the outside,” said the Kiwi horseman.
“Vlad knows that, too, and things worked out well in the end. Mark has done a marvellous job with him.
“He was aimed at the 3YO races but we put him away after he had some problems with his heels. For him to win second-up a race like this, it was a great effort.”
Popular owner Dato Terry Lee, who has raced many good horses such as Bocelli and The Mighty Finn over the years, was all excited as it dawned on him that he might have laid hands on a potential Group winner.
“It’s amazing the way he won today. He had nowhere to go, but he still came out and beat older horses – and at level weights,” he said.
“What a top class ride by Vlad as well!”
Duric, who was only at his second partnership with Distinctive Darci, the first being at his comeback run from a four-month spell when they dismantled a Class 3 field only a fortnight ago, was simply blown away by the way the smart gelding lengthened up once he grabbed his get-out-of-jail card.
Winning connections celebrate: (from left) assistant-trainer Gus Clutterbuck, owner Dato Terry Lee and his daughter Theresa and jockey Vlad Duric, picture Singapore Turf Club
“At his first prep, this horse showed a lot of ability and then had a nice break,” said the current leading jockey.
“Today was a step-up in grade and we had to overcome some adversity with so many horses around us. We just couldn’t find a way out.
“I had to wait and wait, hoping to get around horses, and once he got the break, I knew he would win. He’s got such a good turn of foot.”
While it was all smiles in the Distinctive Darci camp, the mood was not as buoyant on the visitors’ side, but our guests were still gracious in defeat. South Korea’s two representatives to the third edition of the reciprocal race between the Singapore Turf Club and the Korea Racing Authority, Zentenary (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) and Choegangja (Oscar Chavez) finished out of the placings – ninth and last respectively.
A’Isisuhairi reported that the Seo In Seok-trained Zentenary ($309), a US-bred six-year-old by First Defence, was able to land in a perfect trailing position in fourth on the rails after breaking from the inside alley, but could not quite come up with an answer when he popped the question at the top of the straight.
“He was striding out nicely behind the leaders, but he didn’t seem to like having horses around him,” said A’Isisuhairi.
“When I asked him to quicken, he didn’t really kick on, but he still did his best considering it was his first time around this track.”
After coursing out three wide, Choegangja ($82) was already a beaten horse by the time the home turn came up, with Chavez not insisting any further shortly after passing the 200m mark.
“He jumped really good, but at the 600m, Oscar told me he was not happy in the going anymore,” said ex-Kranji and ex-Seoul trainer Brian Dean who used to handle the US-bred four-year-old by Silver Train.
“He is not used to having so many horses around. In Korea they ride less tight.
“The horse dropped the bit and Oscar eased him out. What was the point of riding him, he said.
“I think they were both fit and ready for that race, but they are not quite of the same class.”
