Logic was not flouted when the two highest-rated Singapore contenders, Skywalk and Rafaello, ran 1-2 in the annual $250,000 Korea Racing Authority Trophy (1200m) on Sunday, but the other interesting subplot that emerged was the first place cheque earned by a Korean runner.
Korea has been steadfastly supporting the reciprocal race between the Singapore Turf Club and KRA with teams of runners streaming in at Kranji every year since 2015, but try as they might, most of them had come undone thus far – with two sixths from Nobody Catch Me (2015) and Parang Juuibo (2016) as the best showings – until Today.
Prepared by Busan’s multiple champion trainer Kim Young Kwan, the promising sprinter certainly gave Team Korea something to cheer about when he lived up to his hype with a belter of a run to grab third place.
Skywalk (Vlad Duric) pulls out all the stops to land the Korea Racing Authority Trophy on Sunday, picture Singapore Turf Club
With a stunning record of 10 wins and two placings from 13 starts, the homebred four-year-old gelding by US stallion Drosselmeyer was touted as clearly the best of the Busan trio, which also comprised his stablemate Gakbyeolhan and Approach (trained by Kim Nam Jung) - if not the best ever sent to Singapore.
In other words, if the emerging Asian racing nation had been pining for a first hurrah, “Today was the day”, really, with strong support even coming in for him at fifth spot in the line of betting on $47.
After jumping smartly from a middle draw, Today somehow found himself tucked away in an ideal spot in the box-seat for Busan-based Brazilian-born Irish jockey Franco Da Silva, but, unable to find a gap in the straight, he had to switch out wide for clear run. Though Today lost some precious lengths in the process, he still plugged on solidly for third place, holding off the fast-finishing Viviano (Ryan Curatolo) by a short head to deny the home team a trifecta.
On 94 points, the Mark Walker-trained Viviano shared the billing of the second-highest rated horse with Rafaello, which definitely puts Today’s effort in a more than encouraging light for the visiting squad, especially in terms of outlook for future Korean runners.
Though not as well-fancied, the other two Busan horses did not take a flogging either, a clear sign the gap is closing between the two nations’ alternative track runners.
Despite orbiting out the widest around the bend, Approach (Lee Hyo Sik)) ran a meritorious fifth, three-quarter length off Viviano while Gakbyeolhan (Fergus Sweeney), a last-start winner over 2000m, was clearly not a 1200m horse, being always at the rear even though he jumped from the inside alley, but did well to make some late ground to be beaten less than nine lengths astern.
All honours, however, to the $12 favourite and winner Skywalk (Vlad Duric), who took full advantage of the set-weights conditions of the race capped at 95 points, to show If needed be, that such ratings are there for a reason.
Resuming after his lacklustre run in the Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) on May 26, the Battle Paint four-year-old overcame a wide alley to settle in the slipstream of stablemate and leader Grand Cross (Craig Grylls) before easily putting paid to his rivals inside the last 300m.
Winning connections celebrate their success: (from left) trainer James Peters, owners Ivy Ng, wife of China Horse Club's Chairman Teo Ah Khing, Voon Lee Khim and jockey Vlad Duric, picture Singapore Turf Club
At the furlong pole, second-favourite Rafaello jumped out of the ground in a last-ditch attempt to peg Skywalk back, but his jockey Nooresh Juglall lost his whip shortly after. The son of Oratorio still stayed on course with a full head of steam, but upfront, the China Horse Club-owned chestnut shook his challenge off rather summarily to reign supreme by half-a-length. The winning time was 1min 11.46secs for the 1200m on the Polytrack.
Winning trainer James Peters said he had targeted the KRA Trophy from a long way out and was delighted his long-range plan had hit paydirt.
“I put a ring around this race right after the Lion City Cup. It was the perfect race for him given the conditions of the race,” said the English handler.
“Barrier 11 was the only concern, but Vlad couldn’t have given him a better ride.
“He seems to love the Polytrack, I’ll see how he pulls up. The New Year Cup is some time away, but I guess I will be looking for such mini feature races on Polytrack for him.”
Duric jumped off with a wide grin, clearly happy he had been spot-on in singling out the right horse for the KRA Trophy, a race he won last year with Distinctive Darci when the top rating was benchmarked at 90.
“He’s a very talented horse and went close a few times. He’s just a couple of lengths off the best sprinters like Lim’s Cruiser, but it’s good of the Club to put on a wonderful race like this,” said the Singapore champion jockey.
“I told James I wanted to ride him as he was eligible for the race being right smack on 95 points.
“The way the race mapped for me, I had to be positive early. He was three deep with cover, and I knew he was a length or two better than those, except for Ricardo’s (Le Grange) horses (Rafaello and Royal Ruler).
“Rafaello was on my inside, so I followed the other horse, and he was just too good in the end.”
Interestingly, the winning connections were outnumbered by the Korean entourage at the weighing-in area. They had every reason to bask a little in the limelight even if a third place is not a win.
“It was a fantastic run. He proved he was very competitive at this level,” said Da Silva of Today’s run.
“He’s still a baby and can only improve further. We got into some trouble at the top of the straight, but we could still fight for a place when I came to the outside.
“He gave a good fight and I’m sure Koreans back home will be proud of him.”
Assistant-trainer Kim Uk was a little harder to please, but overall happy with Today’s performance.
“I was expecting a little bit more from Today at the finish. He got a bit crowded in the straight, but no excuse,” said Kim.
Skywalk has proven to be a handy moneyspinner for the China Horse Club having now taken home more than half-a-million dollars in prizemoney from that seventh win from only 16 starts.
