After a bit of a warm-up at his Kranji debut last weekend, Hong Kong jockey Matthew Chadwick got right on the money one week later with Master Banger in Friday’s opener.
Plying his trade in Singapore for five weeks, mainly to keep his fitness level up during the Hong Kong racing break, the 26-year-old began the stint with nine rides last week, coming up with a second and a third as his best results.
But the Kranji crowd did not have to wait long to be treated to that polish that saw the former Australian-trained boom apprentice scoop up 289 wins in eight seasons in the former British colony, including four at Group 1 level. Two of them were recorded in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) aboard California Memory in 2011 and 2012, with the first making him the first Hong Kong jockey to win that race.
Settling Master Banger ($28) in a beautiful spot in third behind the speed in the $35,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1200m, Chadwick only got busy at the top of the straight, with the Kaphero four-year-old immediately knuckling down to the task in a bid to peg back race-leader and favourite Lim’s Respond (Salim Yusoff).
Riding with a combination of Australian and European style, Chadwick, who is of Hong Kong Chinese origin but was adopted by a couple of British teachers, was seen extracting the best from his mount who easily drew on level terms with Lim’s Respond before zipping clear to a most commanding four-length win from Swift (Troy See).
Lim’s Respond had to settle for third another neck away. The winning time was 1min 11.95secs for the 1200m on the Polytrack.
“I kept looking at the screen to make sure I was clear. I was not about to let that first win in Singapore get away,” said Chadwick whose only previous Kranji riding experience was in the now-defunct Singapore Airlines International Cup in 2011 when unplaced aboard California Memory.
“It’s good to get my first win in Singapore. The quality of rides I picked up was much better this week, and I was able to take full advantage of this one.
“Thanks to Leslie Khoo for the ride. He did tell me to ride him further back, but the horse jumped fast and was more forward than I thought.
“I just let him stride and he was quite comfortable where he was. I was waiting for as long as I could as I didn’t want to go too early in the home straight.
“Today is my mum’s birthday! So, happy birthday, mum, this is for you.”
Khoo confirmed that he had instructed Chadwick to ride Master Banger (whom he also fully owns) back in the field as he is a horse who can get a little above himself if bustled up too early, but was glad the jockey thought on his feet.
“He’s a horse who can get a bit excited if he is too forward, but Chadwick said he had no other choice but to ride him handier after he jumped so well,” said the Singaporean handler.
“This horse showed ability early, but then made respiratory noises in his races. He went for throat surgery two months ago and has come back good.”
Master Banger has now taken his record to two wins, one second and one third from 15 starts for stakes earnings close to the $50,000 mark.
