Argentinian Group 1-winning mare Ride Of Valkyries finally broke her duck in Singapore after she claimed the $80,000 Better Than Ever 2010 Stakes, a Kranji Stakes C race over 2200m on Sunday.
One of the first Jubilant Stable Argentinian-breds to hit the ground running last year, she began on a promising note with a second place on debut for trainer Michael Clements. She then lost her way in six more runs, for reasons that were more baffling than anything else, before bouncing back to form at her last two runs before she joined the Jubilant eight-horse migration to trainer Patrick Shaw last month.
The Orpen five-year-old kept up that trend by running on from the ruck to finish third in a 2200m race at her first start for her new handler two weeks ago, beaten by Air Force One, and taking on her nemesis again on Sunday, she turned the tables this time around, although she had to pull out all the stops to stick her head in front.
The Steven Burridge-trained Air Force One looked like he would run a carbon copy of his last win when he took control of the race upfront under jockey Corey Brown, stacking up the speed as he pleased.But Ride Of Valkyries ($16) was a lot closer this time, shadowing the leader from the word go and it was clear jockey Barend Vorster would not let Air Force One give the slip like last time. As the South African jockey got going earlier, Ride Of Valkyries came off heels to pounce on Air Force One upon straightening and looked all poised to sweep away to an easy win.
But Air Force One rallied again and under Brown’s relentless urgings, fought his way back but was beaten by a head on the line. The winning time was 2min 15.53secs for the 2200m on the Short Course.
“It was a great effort at the weights as it’s always hard for a mare to carry the topweight,” said Shaw.
“I think that was one of the reasons she couldn’t win, but I was very impressed with her today.
“She has come back to herself and on that run, we will definitely be looking at the Gold Cup later in the year, especially if she gets in at a low weight.
“The runner-up is also a very good horse and I think Steve has a good Derby runner in him.”
Shaw has won the Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) three times - Mr Line (2006), Quechua (2014) and Cooptado (2015). The race is run as the last Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series in November.
Vorster said it was the mare’s big heart that won her the race.
“It was a hard-fought win. She showed she had a big heart,” said Vorster.
“I was a bit worried about the firm track as that doesn't help her a lot. She’s a filly and she is quite sensitive.
“But I still went out there to give her the best run I can. I bided my time and she did the job when it mattered.
“Good luck to the owners with this mare. They will have a lot of fun with her.”
Ride Of Valkyries came to Singapore the winner of the Group 1 Gran Premio Copa De Plata Roberto Vasquez Mansilla Internacional over 2011 as a three-year-old. Even though she was only at her maiden Kranji win, she has already brought home close to $90,000 for Mr Joshua Tan’s Jubilant Racing Stable.
