Consistent performer Bahen lifted himself off the carpet to claim a narrow victory in the $75,000 Kranji Stakes C over 1200m on Sunday.
Ridden by John Powell, Bahen scored by a nose over Irish Coffee (Manoel Nunes) with Indicio (Lisa Allpress) two-and-a-quarter lengths away third.
Powell had Bahen settled in fourth place on settling down as Awakened (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) burnt across to lead over Super Good (Barend Vorster) and Indicio.
Bahen crept closer before the turn where Super Good had taken over from Awakened with Indicio relegated to fourth place.
Passing the 400m mark Powell took Bahen to the front but didn’t ask him for the supreme effort until out of the pack came Irish Coffee which had settled towards the tail of the field.
With 100m to run Irish Coffee looked as though he was going to run straight past Bahen and had actually poked his nose in front, but Bahen fought back to score by the barest possible margin.
“When Manoel came up to me he was going to beat me a half-length,” said Powell.
“He got probably a head in front of me, but then didn’t go on with it. I hadn’t fully gone for my horse at that stage, so I got stuck into him and he responded really well.
“It was a good tough win in the end. He’s a real fighter and he showed that today.”
Trainer Shane Baertschiger said Bahen was a horse that never gives up trying and he was pleased that the gelding was able to crack it for a win on the turf in Singapore after his four previous victories had all come on the Polytrack.
“He never gives up,” said Baertschiger. “I remember his second start here in Singapore when Running Tall headed him but he fought back to win.
“That’s his first win on the turf here as well, but by the same token he hasn’t had that many starts on it either.
“It certainly opens up a few more options to us now that he’s been successful on it. I’ll sit down and have a look at the program coming up, but I’ve got nothing in particular picked out for him.
“I just won’t to find another suitable race and keep the prizemoney ticking over.”
A six-year-old by Tale Of The Cat from Mistenquett, Bahen has won five of his 14 starts in Singapore and Sunday’s Victory took his prizemoney to around $225,000 for connections.
