Mr Clint vindicated trainer Lee Freedman’s decision to give him one last Guineas trial with a rousing victory after coming from near-last in the $80,000 Class 3 Division 1 race over 1400m on Friday night.
Along with Mr Dujardin and Super Dynasty, Mr Clint completes the trio for the top Australian trainer in next Saturday’s last Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, the $1 million Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m).
Freedman was a little flummoxed by the way the son of Power mixed his form in the first two Legs. He first ran a slashing second to Be Bee in the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m), but fell by the wayside in the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) three weeks later.
Mr Clint (Daniel Moor) rattles home to take out the Class 3 Division 1 race, picture Singapore Turf Club
Even if the New Zealand-bred had excuses after being trapped deep and looking slightly intimidated by the close proximity of King Louis in the concluding stages, the Australian Hall of Fame trainer thought it was time he pulled the old Paris Lane trick from his Horse Training 101 textbook.
It’s not exactly run-of-the-mill stuff, but the theory is quite simple, really. Just keep pounding more races into them until they peak on D-Day.
Paris Lane did exactly that 24 years ago. Freedman belted two races into the hardy campaigner one week apart, and one week later he won the Caulfield Cup.
He felt Mr Clint could also be beaten into better shape with one more run – with the spectacular win a happy bonus, and a sight to behold for racing lovers.
Dropping back for replacement rider Daniel Moor - after Vlad Duric could not make the 54.5kgs – following a tardy getaway, Mr Clint ($17) just idled away at the rear while Crazy Dreams (Benny Woodworth) led at a steady tempo.
Mr Clint improved around runners from the 800m, but when favourite Lim’s Magic (Glen Boss) suddenly surged to the top of the queue upon straightening up, he might have to fight for the minors.
But Moor, who was launching his new Singapore six-month licence, knows a win at his first day at the office etches a more lasting impression, more so when it’s a pick-up ride that had not been scripted.
With Lim’s Magic – who was resuming after 175 days – starting to paddle, the Victorian jockey threw everything bar the kitchen sink at Mr Clint, who mustered the necessary turn of speed to land a thrilling three-quarter-length win.
Lim’s Magic scraped in for second place by a neck from class-dropper Darci Charmer (Shafrizal Saleh), who showed with that encouraging run that he is probably best ridden quiet. The winning time was 1min 22.44secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
“That is exactly what I wanted to see tonight. We were right to run him,” said Freedman who had his predecessor, Mr Clint’s previous trainer (he trialled him but never got the chance to race him) and still a part-owner, Laurie Laxon by his side at the winner’s circle.
“That will top him up nicely for the Guineas, he needed that run. Daniel rode him very well.
“I’m not worried about him being slow away. It’s a mile race and he’s a horse who finishes off strong, like he did tonight.”
Laxon, who departed the Kranji scene last August to hand over his stables lock, stock and barrel – bar a fistful of horses - to Freedman, was his jaunty self and sprightly for a 72-year-old as he looks set to stick around his old stomping ground for a while.
“I’m here till September. I’m doing very well,” said the legendary Kiwi trainer who has nine Singapore champion trainer titles under his belt.
“I bought this horse at the New Zealand Ready-to-Run sales and paid NZ$90,000 for him. I own half a share in him with my good friend CK (Phua Chian Kin).”
Moor was actually at his first ride after his first booking My Big Boss flipped over in the pre-race holding are and was later scratched from the two-year-old race, the Kranji Nursery Stakes. Such is the speed at which fortunes change in racing that he was jumping onto an impromptu winning ride next.
Even then, things did not quite get off to a good start when his pick-up ride fluffed his lines at barrier rise, but Moor said he had Plan B up his sleeve.
“He began a bit slow. He’s shown a tendency to do that of late,” said Moor who did ride Mr Clint once on New Year’s Day at one of his previous flying visits, beaten a whisker by Only Win.
“I wanted to be in midfield but I had to switch to Plan B. There was good speed on and he was strong to the line.”
Mr Clint will, however, be ridden by Zac Purton in the Guineas while Moor has been booked on Eagle Eye for Ricardo Le Grange and Duric will take the ride on Freedman’s other Oscar, Mr Dujardin. Craig Grylls will partner Freedman’s third runner Super Dynasty.
