The first Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the $65,000 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Stakes (1000m), was captured in convincing style by Arrow To Post on Sunday.
The race, which is part of a seven-horse series - launched last year - normally restricted to two-year-olds, was open to three-year-olds this year due to a shortage of two-year-olds.
Being an American-bred, the Leticia Dragon-trained Arrow To Post was also not eligible for the $25,000 bonus payable to an Aushorse-qualified horse. The race featured only three two-year-olds with Zeus Thunder (V Sivan), a half-brother to last year's first-Leg inaugural winner Kaiser, earning the best result with a third.
Apocalypse (Matthew Kellady), a three-year-old by Domesday, finished second, 1 ½ lengths away from the winner, who is by the Unbridled's Song sire Political Force and is raced by the Golden Fashion Stable.
Arrow To Post, who was at his second start, happened to be the just-licensed Dragon's first-ever runner on January 1 when she officially took over from her father Douglas. On that day, Arrow To Post ran on for second to Dragon Spirit in a 1200m race on Polytrack.
Sent out a clear $7 favourite, Arrow To Post settled in fourth three wide behind the frantic pace set by Zeus Thunder who had Black Coffee (Koh Teck Huat) and Apocalypse in close attendance.
Rounding the home turn, Zeus Thunder was still giving plenty of sight, but once Arrow The Post got into overdrive, the issue was quickly put beyond doubt. Well ridden by Powell, Arrow To Post drew clear to score by 5 ½ lengths from Apocalypse, who looks another handy sort for the Steven Burridge-Hippocrates Stable combination.
The winning time was 59.8secs.
“On his first run, we expected him to run well today – as long as he behaves himself at the barriers,” said Dragon who was at the double having scored with Qualitase three races earlier.
“He is a typical colt and can be quite cheeky at the barriers. John rides him in all his trackwork and barrier trials and knows him very well.
“That's why I gave my other runner (Mr Magic) to Joao (Moreira) instead. John rode a perfect race on him.
“I think he's the type of horse who will get better over longer, probably 1400m at a later stage. He's still a young horse and we'll give him all the time in the world to go through his grades.”
Powell said he went for home earlier as he did not want to get hamstrung in traffic at a crucial point.
“It was a pretty lousy field and I didn't want to get behind some slow horses. That's why I just let him roll to the front as soon as we straightened up,” said the Australian jockey.
“He's a horse I know very well as I work on him all the time. He can be very cheeky in his races and does not really like horses around him.
“To his credit, he was caught three wide without cover but he dug really deep in the home straight.”