The black and red maltese cross colours of Fred Crabbia gave a lovely reminder they were still around when Rafaello captured Sunday’s highlight, the $100,000 Class 2 race over 1200m.
Indeed, the prominent South African owner, made famous by Singapore icon Rocket Man, has been noticeably less visible at Kranji in the last couple of years, but Rafaello ($31) stepped up to the plate to give the steel businessman another fillip, even if his current fleet of horses is nowhere near the massive scale he was at during the Patrick Shaw era (from the early 2000s and in the next 15 years or so).
Trainer Ricardo Le Grange, who has been with Crabbia from Day 1 - even from South Africa when he was still a fledgling assistant-trainer to Shaw – did not fail to salute Crabbia’s longevity in the game as well as his staunch support, even if he has only Rafaello and Board Walk under his care at the moment.
Rafaello hands Glen Boss a winning pick-up ride in the Class 2 race over 1200m on Sunday, picture Singapore Turf Club
“A big thank you to Fred and Manuela Crabbia for their continuous support, and also for their patience with this horse (Rafaello),” said Le Grange.
“Rafaello is like the stable soldier. He had major obstacles, chips removed from both fetlocks and after the operations, he often had colics.
“Here, I have a special word of thanks to my assistant-trainer Jacci de Tert, who was the one who always looked after him during those bouts of colic.
“I would also like to thank the Singapore Turf Club vets, Dr Bronte Forbes and Dr Dan Shaw for their outstanding job on this horse.
“He ran well first-up (in the Rocket Man Sprint when fourth to Aramco). The second run (seventh to Preditor in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1400m) was probably because of the proverbial second run after a layoff.
“Today, at the top of the straight, I knew they were not going to run him down.”
Tacking onto the girth of race-leader White Hunter (John Powell) after breaking from a handy draw from barrier rise, Rafaello settled nicely on the bridle for Boss before resolutely attacking the line upon straightening.
A surprisingly gallant White Hunter ($177), who was resuming after a 156-day break, put up a stiff resistance as Rafaello drew on level terms150m out, but the day belonged to Crabbia and Le Grange as Rafaello edged clear for a three-quarter length win.
As for favourite Tannhauser, many would consider him as a certainty beaten. The gaps closed as he came vying for a gap between White Hunter and Rafaello at the 300m, leaving Vlad Duric with the Hobson’s choice: Switch across heels to find daylight, a manoeuvre which, 99% of the time, proves costly when time is running out fast.
The Michael Clements-trained galloper still powered home for third place another neck away with stablemate and fellow Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge contender Only Win (Alan Munro) rattling home late for fourth place another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 9.71secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
Rafaello was meant to be ridden by Michael Rodd, but it was Glen Boss who landed in the saddle after his fellow Australian had to give Sunday’s meeting a miss due to an illness he contracted on Friday night when he was actually stood down after two rides.
Le Grange felt sorry for Rodd, who seldom rides for him, but such is the nature of racing that joys and tribulations go in circles at times.
“I never wish for something like this to happen, but when I learned Michael was stood down, I secured Boss. Nooresh Juglall would have ridden him but unfortunately he is suspended,” said Le Grange.
Boss also acknowledged anybody would have steered the Oratorio five-year-old home on Sunday. To him, he was just the lucky blighter warming the saddle, but at the same time any winning ride was good to take, especially when the ferocious competition in the jockeys’ room has made it hard for the Australian Hall of Fame jockey to really stamp his mark at Kranji.
“He’s a lovely ride. His two runs from a spell have been good,” said Boss.
“He is a very fit racehorse. There was a bunny to chase and he enjoyed that.
“Unfortunately, Nooresh is suspended or he would have ridden him, but it didn’t matter who rode him, he would have still won.
“Things are going steady for me at the moment. Hopefully it will pick up as I’ve got some of Steven Burridge’s young horses coming up.
“I’ll have to work harder to get an A grade, but don’t worry, I will finish with a strong late run.”
The winning pick-up ride was bringing up a riding double for the three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, who scored earlier aboard Mettlesome ($33) in the $45,000 Class 4 Non Premier race over 1700m, allowing him to jump one rung up from fifth place to fourth place on 22 winners, nine behind reigning Singapore champion jockey Vlad Duric.
Rafaello has now taken his handy record to eight wins and seven placings from 29 starts for prizemoney in excess of the $550,000 mark for Crabbia.
