The ever-consistent Tiger Master gained the full benefit of a polished ride from talented apprentice jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim to record a brilliant all-the-way win on Sunday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Already a three-time winner when ridden to his favourite pattern of being on the pace, the Bradbury’s Luck four-year-old always looked likely the moment A’Isisuhairi took him to a hollow lead before gradually increasing the tempo from the 400m.
Chinese Culture (Corey Brown), who snapped at his heels from the start, tried to peg him back, but in vain as he had to settle for second best, half-a-length away, just nosing out The Rude Warrior (Joao Moreira) for second. The winning time was 1min 35.45secs for the 1600m on the Short Course of the $75,000 Class 3 race on turf.
Trainer Sonny Yeoh said he wished he had a barn full of Tiger Masters as he seldom let him and the owners, the Master Stable, down.
“This horse is very genuine when he leads. With his small weight (51kgs after A’Isisuhairi’s two-kilo claim), he just kept finding, but he won by only half-a-length,” said Yeoh.
“Even though he had some company in the lead, Harry rode him very well and only went for him in the straight.
“Credit must go to Harry for another great ride. Time and time again, he has proven how good a judge of pace he is and today, he’s summed up that race to perfection.”
With that 52nd Singapore-based win, the Malaysian but Kranji-based rider is well clear in the Singapore apprentice jockey’s premiership (against second-placed Tengku Rehaizat on 22 wins), but if his three recent wins in Kuala Lumpur are factored in, he currently stands only one win shy of Benny Woodworth’s absolute Malayan Racing Association record of 56 wins ridden by an apprentice, established in 1995.
“I am more focused on my wins in Singapore, to be honest, but yeah, I’m aware I’m very close to Benny’s record if the three KL wins are added,” said A’Isisuhairi.
“It’d be nice if I could equal it today and even break it as I still have three more rides.”
Having already got on board earlier with Mac Volks and Casino King, A’Isisuhairi was at another prolific day in the office, but was surprisingly at his first winning treble as he has three four-timers to his name, and many doubles, but no threes.
A’Isisuhairi said Tiger Master ($20) looked vulnerable when the swoopers poked their nose at the 250m, but his featherweight load saved the day.
“The instructions were to go forward, and with only 51kg on his back, he did it easily,” said A’Isisuhairi.
“He was always travelling comfortably within himself. The other horse (Chinese Culture) was about to go past us, but my horse dug in deep and left him behind.”
Tiger Master has now recorded four wins and three placings from 12 starts for stakes earnings close to the $170,000 mark for the Master Stable.
