Popular sprinter Emperor Max was finally able to add a much-deserved feature win to his outstanding resume when he put his seven rivals to the sword in the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup on Sunday.
Tested for the first time over 1400m after running exclusively over 1200m at Kranji, when he put together a record of five wins from his first five outings before running second at his next three outings, all at Group level, including the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint when a fighting runner-up to Lucky Nine two weeks ago, Emperor Max has again far surpassed expectations with the way he asserted his superiority.
Trainer Stephen Gray was a relieved man at the winner’s circle, not so much regarding the trip query or the fact he was backing up only two weeks after the KrisFlyer, but for the horse himself as the Kiwi handler and everybody at the stable, had developed a solid bond with the Holy Roman Emperor four-year-old.
Second successively in the Group 3 Kranji Sprint, Group 1 Lion City Cup and the KrisFlyer, “Max” as they call him affectionately was finally gaining an overdue recognition at the highest level, in the first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge.
While the $8 favourite’s win looked easier than imagined – 1 ½ length clear of runner-up Bale Star - Gray did let out a few hints during his post-win interview that memorable win had not been forged without a bit of trouble in paradise.
Emperor Max was ridden by Corey Brown in the Stewards’ Cup, a move that came in the wake of regular partner Lisa Allpress being replaced by Hong Kong-based jockey Zac Purton in the KrisFlyer.
“It’s been a funny last two weeks. We had to make a few emotionally-charged decisions, but we’ve pushed on,” said Gray without elaborating further on the "behind-the-scenes" going-ons.
“I was a nervous wreck before the race, but we’re lucky he’s a very good horse and he fully deserved that first Group win.
“I wasn’t really worried about the 1400m or the fact he was racing so close after the KrisFlyer. Some people said I should have tipped him out after the KrisFlyer, but the field wasn’t that strong and on handicap he should win, but funny things do happen in racing.
“Being a natural sprinter, it was always the plan to lead. At the turn, he still had gone through very soft sectionals, but I stopped looking and it’s only in the last 150m that I looked up. The feeling was unbelievable.”
Jumping from barrier No 4, Emperor Max had little trouble crossing to the fence with none of the other seven runners noted for any gate speed. Once he was parked at the head of affairs by Brown, the race was almost as good as over.
Setting a moderate tempo before gradually throttling up to a brisker pace, Emperor Max already had the pack off the bridle by the home turn as Brown let slip some more leather.
Smokie Bale Star (Ivaldo Santana) shaped up as the unlikely challenger at the 300m as he tried to test Emperor Max’s stamina, while his stablemate Johnny Guitar (Barend Vorster), who was coming back in trip from the 2000m of the Singapore Airlines International Cup, was also winding up on the outside.
But Emperor Max more than ran out the seven furlongs on his ears as he unflinchingly kept to the line to prove himself a cut above his four-year-old peers, at least over this distance for the time being.
“I might go for the mile (Patron’s Bowl, second Leg) now, but no, he deserves a spell now. We are content with what he’s done and we can't be too greedy; he owes us nothing,” said Gray.
“There’ll be bigger races to come for him at some stage. He’s won his first Group race and he can now have his own purple trackwork saddlecloth (Group winners carry one in trackwork as a distinguishing mark) now!”
Brown, a multiple-Group 1-winning jockey back in Australia including the biggest of them all, the Melbourne Cup with Shocking in 2009, was savouring his first Group 2 success in Singapore, having scored three Group 3 wins as his biggest claims to fame at Kranji thus far.
“I’ve had a few Group 3’s I think, but this is my first Group 2 here,” said the Australian jockey.
“I wanted to jump him positive, but if something came up from behind, I would have taken a sit.
“There was plenty of speed in the race and I was able to control the race. Once he went through his gears in the home straight, I released the brakes and he was just too good.
“I’m sure there’ll be plenty of other big wins in store for him.”
Emperor Max has now brought his imposing record to six wins and three seconds from nine starts for prizemoney in excess of $700,000 for his Hong Kong owner, Singapore-based anaesthetist Dr Gordon Yau, who also had his brother and part-owner Ernest with him at Kranji to celebrate their pride and joy’s first ‘black-type’ success.
Among the beaten brigade, the main disappointments were the runs of Holy Warrior, Cordoba and Thumping, who had been seen as possible threats to Emperor Max, should he prove vulnerable over 1400m, but they all floundered in the run home to occupy the last three spots.
