Owner Dr Tan Kai Chah was a relieved man following the win of One More Minute in the $65,000 Graduation Stakes over 1600m on the Polytrack on Sunday.
But a lot of his thoughts were elsewhere following a special win in Ireland on Saturday.
The one and only horse he owns in Ireland – which came about following a marketing exercise by the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing team last year – was successful at the Curragh on Saturday night (Singapore time).
Dr Tan's Dragon Pulse, ridden by Fran Berry who had a stint in Singapore towards the end of 2009 and early in 2010, took out the day's feature event, the Group 2 Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes over seven furlongs (1408m).
The Futurity Stakes has a long and distinguished honour roll with some of the top names of leading Irish horses that include Cape Blanco (2009), Arazan (2008), New Approach (2007), Teofilo (2006), Horatio Nelson (2005), Oratorio (2004), Van Nistelrooy (2002), Hawk Wing (2001) and Giant's Causeway (1999).
It was the second year running that trainer Jessica Harrington has taken the Futurity Stakes – having won the race last year with Pathfork – and she joins the likes of Aidan O'Brien and Jim Bolger as multiple winners of the race while other winning trainers include John Oxx, Mark Johnston and Mick Channon.
Dr Tan said the Group 1 Goffs National Stakes over seven furlongs at the Curragh on September 10 was likely to be Dragon Pulse's next assignment, providing the ground had some cushion in it.
“The track has been quite firm and we want a little bit of give,” said Dr Tan. “The National Stakes is a Group 1 race and he looks like a Group 1 horse in the making.
“Hopefully when he finishes this campaign he will spell well and then train on next year and hopefully he will get to one of the Classic races.
“It is every owners dream to own an English, Irish or French Classic horse and with Dragon Pulse still being a colt hopefully we may have one.”
Dragon Pulse, by Kyllachy from the Croco Rouge mare Poetical, was purchased for $120,000 euros (S$210,000) and has raced three times running a debut second over six furlongs (1207m) at the Curragh on June 3. He was then successful over that trip at Leopardstown on July 21 before his victory on Saturday.
Besides his team of horses in Singapore and Dragon Pulse in Ireland, Dr Tan is establishing a stable of horses to race in Japan after being granted the rare privilege of owning racehorses by the Japan Racing Association just over 12 months ago.
