It may be too soon to pick out any trend, but trainer Leslie Khoo is definitely one of the new season’s early birds to have sprung out of the starting blocks all guns blazing.
After firing the first salvo with Aero Wings Junior in the very first race at the New Year meeting, the Singaporean conditioner was again at it at the second meeting on Sunday, opening proceedings with Always A Winner ($14), but unlike Thursday, did not just stop at one winner this time. In irrepressible form, Khoo knocked in two more winners one after another with Invincible Man ($11) and War Lord, sending a clear signal his stable will have to be reckoned with, at least in this early part of the year.
Khoo, who finished mid-table on 36 winners last year, an average haul which he put down to a high incidence of injury among his 50-odd string, said he hoped the flying start would not be just a flash in the pan as he had actually been building up towards such results. Punters for one had latched onto Khoo’s sudden surge of form as the first two winners were backed down to solid favouritism while War Lord showed more generous odds of $99.
“I have planned for this good start. I need to have many winners early as I’m not sure we can continue like this for the whole year,” he said with a laugh.
“Always A Winner was in good shape and was well ridden by (Nooresh) Juglall. I was expecting Invincible Man to run well too, even if he’s still learning what racing is all about while the kid (Desmond Chan Wei Sheng) rode War Lord to my instructions and it’s paid off.”
Khoo said Invincible Man, a three-year-old son of I Am Invincible, always showed he had not been without qualities, but dug himself into a hole with his racing antics.
“He’s light-mouthed and that’s why he throws his head up a lot. I also took off the blinkers today as he can be a bit keen,” he said.
“I think he can run over turf and more distance should not worry him either. Nunes is a champion jockey and rated him to perfection in front.”
Capitalising on barrier No 1, Invincible Man dashed straight to the lead, but did give the backers who took him at $11 a few jitters when he was seen jerking his head up down the back. Nunes, however, did not fight him and allowed him enough leeway to dictate his own terms to the race.
The well-tried debutant Shanghai Bund (Craig Newitt) shaped up as his most serious challenger when he came off his box-seat to give chase, but Invincible Man did not show any signs of letting-up, pulling away to score by 2 ¾ lengths. Hee’s Ego (Michael Rood) stormed home late for third another length away while Fast Edition (Alan Munro) was done in by his wide gate after he travelled three deep cutting the breeze to run fourth another three parts of a length away.
The winning time was 1min 6.29secs for the 1100m journey on Polytrack of the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race.
Nunes said Invincible Man was, contrary to what his name suggests, not without a few chinks in the armour, but had what it took to make the grade.
“He’s a nice horse but is still very green. He’s got a sensitive mouth and that’s why I didn’t fight with him in the early stages,” said the new 2014 Singapore champion jockey.
“He was quick out of the gates and from barrier No 1, he was able to find the lead rather easily, but then he started to throw his head up. When I put my hands down, he also kind of put his head down as well and he was then easier to control.
“In the home straight, he gave me a very nice kick. I think he also needs a little longer.”
