It may have lasted for only one race, but jockey Vlad Duric was happy he was able to sit on top of the Singapore jockeys’ premiership for the first time on Friday night, albeit fleetingly.
After a late start in February, the Australian jockey has been riding winners by the spades to the point he was up with the leading bunch in no time.
Level with Manoel Nunes at the start of the night on 33 winners (but second on a countback for seconds), Duric had the chance to break away when the Brazilian was sidelined for four meetings through kidney stones, but could only ride one winner last week.
But odds-on favourite Millennium's Rule’s gutsy win in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1400m finally drove him to the top as the outright leader (a spot he did occupy once back in 2011 when he led Joao Moreira for about three months before settling for second-best).
With Nunes back riding, Duric, however, knew his time there could be shortlived, and true enough, the two-time Singapore champion jockey immediately knocked one back in straight after on another favourite, Nova Strike (read other report).
Duric was not fussing too much over the No 1 status no matter how short it was, but enjoyed it while it lasted, knowing full well it could be a ding-dong battle in the coming weeks, with other jockeys like Corey Brown, Danny Beasley and Alan Munro also nipping at the heels.
The riveting Duric-Nunes showdown is all set to hold Kranji racegoers on the edge of their seats as Duric actually shot back to the top in Race 4 when he scored above debutant Super Line (read other report).
“It’s great to be on top for the first time this year. I started late, but I was lucky to get good support at a time when some jockeys were suspended and injured,” said Duric.
“I did lead Joao once, but I remember he left me reeling once he swept past me. To be fair, Manoel would have been 10 clear if he had not been away so many times (indisposed and suspended).”
On his 34th winner, Duric praised fellow jockey Barend Vorster for his tactical nous throughout the race. The lightweight South African kept two-year-old One Kinabalu, who had only 48.5kg on his back, on Millennium’s Rule’s girth throughout the race, and even took the advantage halfway up the straight, but under hard riding, the hotpot came back firing to in the end post a comfortable 1 ¾-length victory.
One Kinabalu held on gamely for second with Golden Peninsula (Alan Munro) third another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 24.46secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
“He’s a beautiful scopey horse and has a lot going for him. He’s got a nice head on him too and should go through his grades,” said Duric.
“I have to say Barend rode a clever race on the young horse with the light weight. He took the race to me, but inside the last furlong, my horse was more mature and it showed in the last 100 yards.”
Winning trainer Stephen Gray said the Lonhro three-year-old will be even better over more ground.
“He had to work hard to get to the front, but once he was in front, he settled beautifully. He only had the second horse (One Kinabalu) to beat and he went super in the end,” said the Kiwi handler.
“He ran a good second at his first race, and going over 1400m was the right step. I think he will be even better over more ground.
“Vlad has a high opinion of him, he said he could even win at Flemington. He’s a lovely horse for sure.”
Millennium’s Rule cost A$150,000 as a yearling. He is now raced by Paul Hickman of the St George Stable.
