It was only fitting that it was an all-Singaporean affair that took the honours in the first race of the long SG50 weekend on Friday.
Prepared by Leslie Khoo, ridden by Troy See and owned by the Neo Stable, all three homegrown racing people, Peregrine Falcon finished the best in the opening race, the $35,000 Class 5 race over 1600m, to just nut out Brother Bay, also carrying local colours for Singaporean trainer Leticia Dragon, but ridden by Italian jockey Mario Esposito.
Khoo, a former top jockey in his own right in the Bukit Timah golden era, was proud as punch the honour to kick off the Golden Jubilee celebrations had befallen him, an out-and-out Katong boy who never sat on a horse until he came across an ad looking for jockeys and whose fairytale story is so typical of the rags-to-riches story of toiling and rewards of many successful Singaporeans.
“Couldn’t have been written any better. The first race of the SG50 weekend goes to a Singaporean trainer, Singaporean jockey and Singaporean owner,” he enthused never mind if the race in question was just a humble Class 5 affair.
“This is what horse racing and Singapore are all about. Very happy I won this race.”
Peregrine Falcon, who had just the one solitary win on the board more than one and a half year ago to show for, was back racing after running third in an identical race last Friday.
“It’s all Polytrack after this week and I thought I might as well run him again today,” said Khoo.
“He pulled up well and was in good form. You never know with these Class 5 horses but this horse has been pretty consistent at this level (including four seconds in a row a few months ago).
“I told Troy to settle him somewhere in midfield and just ride him quiet and he will come home.”
See said he had not quite realised the significance of his win until Khoo reminded him, but the moment did resonate with him as he walked back to the jockeys’ room to his 12th win for the season.
“50 is not a number I really like to see as I don’t really want to be riding at that weight!” he said tongue-in-cheek before quickly dropping to a serious tone.
“But being a patriotic Singaporean who’s paid a lot of taxes and served his time in National Service to this great country, I am proud to be Singaporean and very happy for the nation that it has gone through 50 peaceful years.”
Well said, Troy and Happy 50th Birthday Singapore!
