Trainer Leslie Khoo made a flying start to the Good Friday meeting when he snagged the first two races of the bumper 12-race programme with two favourites, Branksome and Fastnet Dragon.
Branksome ($14), a five-year-old by Henny Hughes, actually missed the start in the opening event, the $35,000 War Affair 2014 Stakes, a Class 5 race over 1200m, but cashed in on his inside alley to slowly creep up along the rails to be in a striking position by the home turn.
Race-leader Xzuberance (Rueven Ravindra) looked home and hosed in the home straight, but was left a sitting duck when he started to hang out from the 300m. Branksome pounced on the opportunity as he mounted a late charge, gradually wearing Xzuberance down to sneak past him on the inside and get the better by half-a-length.
Time After Time (Sam Subian) wound up third a gap of another 2 ¾ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 10.45sces for the 1200m on the Long Course.
Khoo’s second winner in the next race, the $65,000 Stepitup 2013 Stakes, an Initiation race over 1400m, was carved out in slightly different fashion as $17 joint-favourite Fastnet Dragon (Alan Munro) jumped on terms to quickly take a handy spot on settling down.
When the Fastnet Rock four-year-old was peeled out to the outside for his assault rounding the home turn, the race looked all sewn up. But just like Xzuberance in the earlier race, he started to roll out under pressure.
With the other top fancy Fortune Winner (Koh Teck Huat) closing in at the rate of knots on the outside, there was a strong likelihood Khoo could get a taste of his own medicine (when Xzuberance paid dearly for his waywardness).
But Munro kept Fastnet Dragon’s mind on the job and the double was in the bag when they reached the wire 1 ¾ lengths clear of Fortune Winner. Flamboyant (Barend Vorster) ran third another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 23secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
Khoo came within a whisker of sweeping all first three races, but Clip The Ticket (Shafiq Rizuan, $48) deprived him of the rare feat by holding off the favourite Star General (Munro) by a head.
But the amiable Singaporean, who was consolidating his second place on the Singapore trainer’s premiership (20 versus leader Mark Walker’s 28) could not be unhappy with the overall results.
“I expected both horses to win. Too bad we missed out with Star General,” he said.
“Branksome always plays up in the gates and again he jumped a bit awkwardly. But he held the fence throughout and did a good job to catch the leader.
“I was very confident with Fastnet Dragon after his first two runs which were more educational than anything else. He has been working well and the Long Course suited him better today.
“There is still room for improvement and I think he can go up to a mile.”
Nunes, who was at his first ride since coming back from suspension, was glad he did not have to wait for too long to revisit the winner’s circle aboard Branksome.
“He shied at the start and we lost ground, but it was okay as he was able to get back in the race quite easily,” said the runaway leader on the Singapore jockey’s premiership.
“It’s great to be back a winner at my first ride from suspension. Hopefully, the good run continues.”
After Nunes struck early, Munro, his current runner-up in the standings, maintained the 10-win margin with his winning turn on Fastnet Dragon in the next race.
“He won good, but he was just a bit green. It is in his sireline to be a bit temperamental,” said the English jockey.
“It was certainly a big improvement from the last time I rode him. He was back in the field but today he was a lot more forward.
“But as I knew he can play up a bit at the start, I made sure I kept his back legs down so he was horizontal when he jumped this time. The attendants also held his tail to help him sit down.”
