For a change, it was a groom, your usual unsung hero, who earned the most credit for a win on Sunday.

Roan Ranger can be a tricky horse to handle, mostly in trackwork, but he suddenly decided he did not want to be a racehorse on the way to the starting gates for the $38,000 Kranji Stakes D Division 2 race over 1600m.

Jockey Derreck David might know the quirky Irish-bred roan very well for having steered him to two of his three wins at Kranji, but all his coaxing and nudging using all aid imaginable were falling on deaf ears. Roan Ranger would have none of it and refused to be taken to the water.



Roan Ranger (Derreck David) puts paid to his rivals in Race 4, picture Singapore Turf Club

Up came Has Mizi, his groom or syce as they are called here in South East Asia, who decided to have a last throw of the dice, especially with the head starter Damien Kinninmont already looking at his watch and the yellow flag being unfurled at the other end.

Just when it looked like the only direction the Dark Angel five-year-old was eyeing was his stables, he suddenly looked like he remembered his obedience lessons as Mizi clipped him while swishing the loose end of the lead to him as a spurring agent.

Barging almost through a movable rail once the momentum was acquired, Roan Ranger finally stepped onto the Polytrack to come within sight of the barrier gates with David diligently running behind under the hot sun.

All’s well that ends well after Roan Ranger was finally loaded up, not without him throwing in a few antics, and it turned even better when the $100 shot came off a handy spot to win the race against all odds, almost like a rich reward to Mizi and David for their hard work on the ground and unwavering faith in him.

“All the credit should go to the syce Mizi who knows the horse the best,” said David.

“He’s done a very good job to get him behind the barriers. Other than that, this horse has really learned how to relax now.

“I’ve ridden him six times for three wins now. He’s always had ability and Sonny has done a great job with him.”

The low-key trainer was bringing up his 16th winner for the season, but a few minutes earlier, he was on the verge of making his way back to the stables for another blank day the moment he saw the rogue roan play up. Roan Ranger was the last of his three runners with the first two, Amazealot and Superten, not having obliged.

“I thought he was not going to get a start. I was ready to leave,” said Yeoh.

“Big thank you to Mizi who knows what buttons to push with this horse. Derreck also knows the horse well and rode him very well by taking the lead early at the top of the straight when he was full of running.”

With that fourth win in 31 starts, Roan Ranger has now taken his stakes earnings just a tick under the $100,000 mark for the Coyy Stable. He defeated Happy Saga (Olivier Placais) by three parts of a length with Black Swan (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) third another 3 ½ lengths away. The winning time for the 1600m on the Polytrack was 1min 39.38secs.

As for David, the purple patch he is currently enjoying is showing no signs of letting-up. The South African sits in eighth spot on the log on 28 winners, a score padded up by a double with Heavenly Hand and Danger Zone on Friday night.

“It’s been a great season for me. Thank the Lord above and my mum and dad who are with me today, and of course my wife Angelique and my daughter Mira,” said David who has always been very good at lapping up his moment in the sun whenever he gets a chance, especially after that jog in the scorching heat earlier!