Former Chairman’s Trophy winner Goodman was put down after he broke down in a track gallop on Wednesday morning.
The Alamosa five-year-old was sprinting with stablemate Natural Nice through the last 400m of his Polytrack hit-out when he fractured his sesamoid and was immediately pulled up by his rider Syafiq Hazman. Unfortunately, vets could not save his life and he was euthanased shortly after.
Syafiq, who rode the prolific (uncannily his name in Australia before being imported to Singapore) winner of seven races and more than $750,000 in stakes for the V-Day Stable at his last start, said he knew Goodman had hurt himself when he heard a sickening “snapping sound”.
“He was travelling okay and then suddenly at the 300m, I heard a sound, and the horse stumbled. I knew he had broken down,” said Shane Baertschiger’s apprentice jockey.“I rode him at his last start (fourth to Twickenham on March 25) and he was coming along nicely. I was looking forward to riding him this Sunday. It’s very sad.”
Goodman was indeed one of the entries in Sunday’s $125,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1400m, but there was to be no 31st start.
While he is better remembered for his Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1800m) win in 2014, perhaps two of his best performances were in defeat when he finished twice runner-up to the great War Affair, once in the second Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) in 2014 and in the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) six months later.
“He was right up there with War Affair and Daniel at his best. They used to chop and change races between them, especially in the 3YO series,” said Laxon.
“He won a Group race for us, the Chairman’s Trophy. He did it in his customary all-the-way style.
“Though he was not quite the same horse these days, he has been improving and I thought he had a very good chance this Sunday.”
Goodman was ridden by a variety of jockeys but it is Corey Brown who enjoyed the most fruitful association with him. They combined for five of his seven wins, including the Chairman’s Trophy. John Powell (at his last win in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1400m in April 2015) and James McDonald were aboard at the other two wins.
“I was quite sad to hear that Goodman died this morning. He was one of the first good horses I picked up when I just arrived in Singapore,” said Brown.
“I loved him as I’ve won five races with him, including a Group race. It’s funny how just last Sunday, I said in the post-race interview how Lim’s Archer reminded me so much of Goodman.
“They’re very similar not so much in terms of ability but how they’re both strong gallopers with a high cruising speed.
“As you get older, you get more sentimental about these things, but it’s a real shame he had to go that way instead of retiring in a paddock. Rest in peace, champ.”
