Rising seven-year-old mare New Rose Wood found her way back to the winner's circle for the first time in more than two years when successful in the $150,000 Marsiling Classic Stakes over 1800m on the Polytrack on Sunday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Ridden by Danny Beasley, New Rose Wood came from last to eventually win by a length-and-a-quarter from Flying Fulton (Opie Bosson) with Paulinho (Barend Vorster) a half-length back in third place.
New Rose Wood last tasted success in a Kranji Stakes C over 1700m on March 21, 2010 before going on to rack up six consecutive placings which included seconds in the Group 1 Patron's Bowl and the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby.
The mare, following two second placings almost 12 months ago, lost her form and it was decided on a change of stables was in store for the mare.
After registering four wins and 13 minor placings for Desmond Koh, New Rose Wood found her way to Cliff Brown's yard for her current campaign which kicked off in January.
New Rose Wood showed she was about to strike winning form again when she was run down late by Chase Me in an 1800m Handicap on the turf at her last start on February 26.
Brown paid credit to Koh but also his stable staff and Beasley in being able to turn around New Rose Wood's form.
“Desmond had done a great job with her before she came to us and sometimes you find that horses just need a change of environment,” said Brown.
“We've done a lot of things to get her interested in racing again and it was her second placing at her last start that convinced us that we had her back.
“She is a very good racehorse and we've been working her on the uphill track, on the main track and just doing a lot of different things with her.
“She loves the Polytrack but she's also just as effective on the turf. It's good to have her back and we'll just keep pottering around with her to keep her interested in racing.”
Brown said he would give New Rose Wood the opportunity to win a black-type race when she lines-up in the Group 2 $350,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup over 2000m on April 27.
The win of New Rose Wood also coincided with the Brown stable breaking a run of outs.
After having a good start to the season through the month of January, Brown trained just one winner in February and New Rose Wood's win was his first in March.
“Things have been a little lean of late,” said Brown. “I'm certainly going to enjoy the celebration.
“This win is good for the whole stable which has been working hard to turn things around.”
The win was also a change of fortune for Beasley who is currently sitting in second position on the Jockeys' Premiership Table with 19 wins, some 47 wins behind tearaway leader Joao Moreira.
Beasley has been the regular partner of New Rose Wood on the training tracks since joining Brown's team and had seen her turn it around in her work over the past month.
“I knew she was ready to run a good race before her second placing when she just turned it around on the training track,” said Beasley. “And she has continued to improve since that run.
“She was so relaxed out there today. She gave me a great ride and just wanted to run.
“I was always confident that she'd run them down as she had been cruising until the turn.”
With her victory on Sunday, her fifth from 31 starts, New Rose Wood, a six-year-old Australian-bred by Love A Dane from the Is It True mare Western Explorer, took her prizemoney past the $700,000 mark for the Bukit Mas Stable.
