Leading apprentice A’Isisuhairi ‘Harry’ Kasim notched a milestone when Mac Volks took out the $65,000 Initiation Stakes over 1100m on the Polytrack on Sunday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
The victory was A’Isisuhairi’s 50th victory in Singapore for the 2013 season and sees him in fourth place on the Jockey’s Premiership Table behind Joao Moreira, Manoel Nunes and Alan Munro while at the same time holding a comfortable lead in the Apprentice’s Premiership race.
Guiding the former New Zealander Mac Volks, A’Isisuhairi had the race in his keeping a long way from home.
Returning a $16 dividend, Mac Volks scored by four-and-three-quarter lengths over Q Nine Star (Manoel Nunes) with Gangnam Style (Danny Beasley) a nose away in third place.
Trainer David Kok said Mac Volks had done his early racing in New Zealand for Dean Wiles before making his way to Singapore.
Kok said the gelding had been purchased by clients of his stable as a yearling and left to do his early racing down there.
“We bought him as a yearling in New Zealand and left him down there to do his early racing,” said Kok.
“We had hoped he might make it to a race like the Karaka Millions but he didn’t quite measure up down there so we got him up here instead.
“He’s a horse that showed a lot of speed in his races down in New Zealand, so we trained him as a sprinter and to try and get him to win first-up.
“He outsped them today and kept running all the way to the line and went about his work in good style.”
A’Isisuhairi partnered Mac Volks in his barrier trial second placing behind Vintage Rose over 1000m on August 27 and knew the horse had plenty of pace.
“I rode him in his barrier trial and he showed a lot of pace,” said A’Isisuhairi. “The plan was to try and ride him handy but he jumped so well and we were able to find the front.
“We ended up getting a fairly soft lead, but he travelled really well in the run. He quickened up really nicely on the turn and he still had plenty in reserve on the line.
“He should be able to win a few more races on that win.”
A three-year-old New Zealand-bred by Volksraad from Miz Monroe, Mac Volks is raced by Elaine Chen and on top of his NZ$1100 has accumulated around $35,000 in Singapore following Sunday’s success.
