Bonny mare Jelly Bean gave trainer Shane Baertschiger’s apprentice jockey Syafiq Hazman a second hurrah, and this time without having to sit in a Stewards’ room.
The Darci Brahma six-year-old scored his third and last win after a successful protest from the Singaporean rider when alleging interference at the 100m from the first horse past the winning post, Lim's Casino (Danny Beasley).
Syafiq has partnered the Auric Stable-owned mare three more times, without success, but mostly without much luck.
That record has now been set straight in Friday’s penultimate event, the $80,000 Class 3 race over 1100m.
The well-tried Lim's Racer (Pregasam Dellorto) turned the race into a true-run race from the get-go when she came vying for the lead on the outside from Crazy Times (Erasmus Aslam) and Big Man (Matthew Kellady). Such tactics could only help the cause of a fast finisher like Jelly Bean.
Once the swoopers descended on Lim’s Racer, the 2016 Juvenile Championship winner could not quite withstand the pressure pouring forward as she petered out of the race (to eventually run fourth).
All this while, Jelly Bean ($54) had been cuddled along by his rider, ominously nearing the home turn three deep with plenty of horse underneath, before bursting clear with a swift killer move at the 300m.
Jelly Bean did lug in and stargazed a little once she found herself all alone upfront, but Syafiq, pulling the whip through to the left hand with great poise, coaxed her all the way to the wire to go and salute with half-a-length to spare from the fast-closing Golden Tomahawk (Shafiq Rizuan).
Anonymous (Oscar Chavez) had to settle for third spot another 1 ¼ lengths away. The winning time was a smart 1min 4.43secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack, only 0.16 second shy of the course record established by Good News back in April. The fast time was certainly contributed by the sizzling sectionals set early by Lim’s Racer.
“I know this mare very well as I think I’ve ridden her seven times. I had her settled more on the pace tonight and it’s paid off,” said Syafiq, a former apprentice chef.
“She had bad luck at her last two starts when she ran second and third. She was too far back.
“Tonight, I had her rolling as I didn’t want to break her stride. She was travelling so well and once I took her to the outside at the top of the straight, I knew she would win.
“She did hang in a little in the closing stages, but she did a good job to go all the way.”
Baertschiger was also delighted Jelly Bean had overcome a snag at her last start to bounce straight back to the winner’s circle.
“She had not raced for a long time (61 days) because she had an infection in her foot. She pulled up lame at her last run,” he said.
“She’s always had good ability and I knew she would be right in the finish when I saw her settling just off the hot speed.”
With that fourth win from only 19 runs, Jelly Bean has proven to be a handy moneyspinner for Auric Stable’s Jerry and Lana Sung, having already amassed in excess of $240,000 in stakes earnings.
