Trainer Pat Shaw turned out Martincho Cat for the Singapore Airlines A380 Tokyo Stakes Open at Kranji on Sunday and gained a comprehensive victory with the six-year-old who has been rejuvenated after surgery.
The good field went out as the prelude to the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m) which was the following race on the International meeting's program and they turned on a more than satisfactory entre for the sprinters who followed.
Barend Vorster settled Martincho Cat well in fourth on the rails taking advantage of barrier one as the leaders went ahead to sort out themselves out. Eventually Shuttle Man and A'isisuhairi Kasin on the rails with Keep Away and Mohd Zaki outside took up the leading duties as they went for the long turn into the straight.
Vorster was content to drift slightly to sixth as they came around the turn and as the field fanned coming off the turn there was a wide gap left on the rails.
There was no further invitation needed for Vorster who sent Martincho Cat directly in the empty space.
There was a moment of concern when the outside horses came in towards the rails but Martincho Cat was not to be deterred and he charged hard taking the lead with 200m to run.
From that point Vorster and Martincho Cat went clear of the field and away to the line they went without further challenge to win with 1L to spare.
Running Tall and Greg Cheyne came late for second to give Shaw the quinella with Nandowra and Manoel Nunes third, the margin a half-length.
“This horse has a special place in all of our hearts. He had a condylar fracture about a year and a half ago, two screws were placed in his leg very similar to Rocket Man's injury,” said Shaw's foreman Riccardo Le Grange.
“Great thanks to the Singapore Turf Club vets for doing a magnificent job and he was hovering around Class 4 for a while and obviously when we fixed up the leg and we worked a few little things out with him, he has turned out to be a really, really special horse.
“It was an excellent run from Running Tall. It was a good strong race and he ran a great run,” he said.
“He is a lovely horse. In the beginning when he came here he was a real headache but we have the loveliest horse and he has really done well for the yard. For the owners it is really important to enjoy days like this and come here and have their photos taken and enjoy the celebrations,” said Vorster.
“This is on the world stage so it is always good for the yard and the stable and all the connections to have a good day so horses like this come to the party,” he said.
It was the sixth Singapore win for Martincho Cat, by Easing Along, from 25 starts and it was the second win on the big night for Shaw and Tmen Stables after an earlier win with Spyder.
