A major drop in handicap to featherweight proportions saw Arowana Dot Com regain his winning groove in style in the $125,000 Open race over 1600m on turf on Sunday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
The Hussonet grey had slipped under the radar since he started racing in stronger company including Group 3 events like the Committee's Prize (1600m) and the Saas Fee Stakes (1400m) last year, consigning his winning streak of six from his first seven starts to a distant memory.
But with trainer Desmond Koh lowering his aim to more modest company but under handicap conditions brought the winning edge back in the grey four-year-old.
Arowana Dot Com was weigted at only 50kg while he was receipt of nine kilos from his last-start victor Flying Fulton (Group 3 Polytrack Mile Championship) by virtue of the latter's top rating of 107 points.
The deficit proved too hard to make up for the Flying Spur five-year-old despite all his courage inside the last furlong.
Arowana Dot Com, who enjoyed a rails-hugging run from the jump, took the shortcut home as the small seven-horse field went wide searching for the better going on the outside. Under a confident ride by lightweight South African jockey Greg Cheyne, the Arowana Stable-owned galloper pinned his ears back to fly down the last 100m, giving no chance to Flying Fulton (Opie Bosson), who fought on gamely but was clearly beaten by the weight difference.
“The light weight helps. I was fairly confident he would have a fighting chance going into the race,” said Koh.
“He's probably found the opposition a bit tough at a higher level, but today he was weighted to win in a small field.
“I will just take it easy with him, now that he's found his winning confidence back.”
His first-time pilot also had a hunch he could bounce back to his best in Sunday's race.
“I worked him in the week and I thought it was a winning gallop,” said Cheyne.
“Sure it was a step-up in distance but I discussed with Desmond and we thought there would not be much speed and the race would not be run like a mile.
“It's nice to get back in the winner's circle after a bit of a dry spell.”
Cheyne, who is at his first experience in Singapore, was bringing up his sixth win, after scoring his last success aboard Silver Legend on March 23.
