South African veteran jockey Felix Coetzee is oozing confidence ahead of Rocket Man's assignment in Sunday's Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m), qualifying his condition as “better” than in Dubai.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
The last time Coetzee rode Rocket Man was at his last start when the 19-time winner ran his heart out but was still stunned into second by Bahrain sprinter Krypton Factor in the US$ 2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) on March 31. Figuring among the beaten brigade were A-listers like Australia's Sepoy, Hong Kong's Lucky Nine and America's The Factor.
Anything “better” than such a high-calibre international formline probably renders the other six Lion City Cup runners' chances of upstaging Rocket Man very slim indeed.
Coetzee, who flew in from his Cape Town base on Sunday for a hit-and-run visit this weekend when trainer Patrick Shaw booked him again for Sunday's assignment in the $500,000 Group 1 race, did not work on the champion but liked what he saw.
“I didn't get on him but I've seen him at the stable and he looks a picture,” said Coetzee who started riding work on Monday. “Barend (Vorster) worked him and he knows the horse so well.
“He looked terrific in Dubai but he looks even better here. He seems to have come on very well since he got back here.”
The three-time champion South African jockey said he had viewed the Golden Shaheen (which he captured in 2010 with the same Rocket Man) replay over and over and could not find any wiggle room for any change.
“It was the way the draw worked out. From barrier No 1, he jumped very well and we had two options from then on,” he recalled.
“One, I pull the horse back, but that is not the way to ride on such a fast track. Two, allow the US horse (Giant Ryan) to pass us and we get boxed in.
“The US horse pressing us was not ideal, but under the circumstances any other scenario would have been working against us.
“I did try to slow it down a bit to save as much as I can for the last bit, but every time I did that, the other horse eye-balled us.
“But Rocket Man is such a tenacious horse and he still gave me an awesome kick at the top of the straight.
“He has such terrific stamina and he never stopped. He could have made it all but Krypton Factor went past us in the end.
“He ran as good as he did the previous year, if not better as his time was better, but we were just beaten by the circumstances of the race.”
Coetzee, who counts four victories aboard Rocket Man, including the Golden Shaheen and the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint in 2011, will have more opportunities than just the Lion City Cup to improve on that score. He will be back riding Rocket Man in the KrisFlyer (licence still under consideration) on May 20 before commencing a six-month riding contract on June 1.
“I've ridden here a few times on shorter terms and I loved it,” said Coetzee who has ridden overseas with success, primarily in Hong Kong where he forged an almost invincible partnership with Silent Witness.
“It's a very nice and interesting place and I've always wanted to have a longer shot at it. Singapore probably has one of the best racing facilities in the world right now.
“The increased stakes money and the lower tax also make it attractive.
“Still, I had to weigh up my options as I was doing very well back home since I left Hong Kong. I was riding mainly for trainer Justin Snaith in Cape Town and we've won many races together.”
The guaranteed support from Shaw, the reigning Singapore champion trainer, was another draw, but Coetzee would rather not put all his eggs in one basket.
“Of course I will rely on Pat a lot, and I'm very lucky to get a foot in that as he's got so many good horses,” said Coetzee who is booked aboard Marcusino for Shaw and Tenzing for Cliff Brown in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Friday night and three other runners for Shaw on Sunday – Can't Touch Me, Maurice Utrillo and Premier Grade.
“But I would like to get around as much as possible too, pretty much what I did at my previous visits.”
In previous short stints at Kranji in 2010 and 2011, Coetzee brought up winners for other trainers as well such as Incognito and My Friend Jo for ex-Kranji trainer Don Baertschiger in September 2010 and Flying Fulton for Mark Walker last May.
At an age (53) when many of his peers would be contemplating retirement, Coetzee, who rode his first winner Kentford in 1975, said he was nowhere near hanging up his boots.
“People keep asking me how long I want to ride for, but you know what, I just don't feel like stopping,” he said.
“I still feel very competitive and there are still many things I need to do and achieve. I don't think I'm finished yet.
“There is still more to come and I really have no plans whether to stop or not. I just take it as it comes."
