A rare combination between trainer Stephen Burridge and jockey Barend Vorster paid dividends on Sunday when the well-tried Devil’s Cut scored a decisive win in the $75,000 Class 3 race over 1100m on Polytrack.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
The South African jockey normally takes the bulk of his rides from fellow countryman Patrick Shaw, and if he does accept outside rides, they would be for trainers like Michael Freedman, Laurie Laxon or Michael Clements, and very seldom for Burridge.
But with half the expatriate jockeys having already gone on holidays, especially Stephen Baster and Joao Moreira, whom Burridge tends to book more regularly, the rare pairing was given a chance to shine aboard the Hippocrates Stable-owned four-year-old by Exceed And Excel.
Riding on the speed throughout, Devil's Cut asserted his clear superiority in the home straight to draw clear from leader Terminator (Oscar Chavez) to score by more than two lengths from Californian Girl (Danny Beasley) who pinched second place from Terminator by a head in the last hop. The winning time was 1min 6.28secs.
“We’ve not used Barend too often, but that’s because most of time, he’s tied up on one of Pat’s horses,” said Burridge.
“As he was free in this race, we gave him the ride on Devil’s Cut, and he’s done a good job in the end.
“That horse is an up-and-coming sort who has always shown a lot of potential, but had to overcome some tendon problems he had earlier.
“He was probably a little disappointing at his last start when he ran fourth over 1400m, but we may have stretched him a little.
“Today, he had no weight on his back and he won very well. We’ll see how he pulls up and make a decision where he goes from here.”
Vorster said Devil’s Cut was a “beautiful individual” who was going places and would get even better over more ground.
“They went pretty hard early, but I just wanted to put him in the right place,” said the South African hoop, who was at a winning treble, having scored earlier aboard Beat To Quarters and Give Me Strength.
“The track was wet from the rain, and I just wanted to keep him out of trouble and he will run.
“Once he found his feet at the top of the straight, he just put the race away so easily.
“This is a beautiful individual with plenty of scope, who once he matures further, will get better over more ground and any surface. He’s very versatile and I’d like to thank Steve for putting me on.”
