Former Australian galloper Emperor Max maintained his perfect record in Singapore when he took out the $75,000 Class 3 Stakes over 1200m on Sunday.
Ridden by Lisa Allpress, Emperor Max ($20) scored by three-quarters-of-a-length from Rite Of Spring (Manoel Nunes) with OM (Corey Brown) two-and-a-half lengths away third in a time of 1min 09.6secs.
Allpress had Emperor Max well positioned in fourth spot in running. Luwak Coffee (A’Isisuhairi ‘Harry’ Kasim) led the way from Rite Of Spring with Totality (Alan Munro) in third place out three wide following a slow beginning.
The pace slackened between the 800m mark and the homturn and on straightening Rite Of Spring took over the lead from Totality and Luwak Coffee with Allpress edging out into clear galloping room.
As Rite Of Spring kicked clear with 400m to run, Allpress had Emperor Max out and running and was chasing down the favourite, drawing on terms with 200m to run.
After a short struggle, Emperor Max got the upperhand, proving too strong in the run to the line.
Trainer Stephen Gray went into the contest feeling confident after the gelding ran second in a barrier trial on October 29, however when the pace slackened before the turn his confidence started to wane.
“He really stepped up today and I was quite impressed with him,” said Gray. “I was quite confident after his trial on Tuesday as I thought it was exceptional.
“I was a bit worried when he was hemmed up behind them and the pace weakened, but when Lisa was able to get him clear I knew he would finish the race off strongly.
“We haven’t got anything specific picked out for him. We’ll just take him through his grades for the moment.
“My philosophy is to keep your horses in the worst company and yourself in the best, and that has worked out so far.”
Emperor Max’s victory was the first leg of a race-to-race double for Allpress who took out the following race the $35,000 Class 5 Div. 2 Stakes over 1200m on the Polytrack aboard Gypsy Magic.
“This horse (Emperor Max) has a fantastic attitude and is so relaxed,” said Allpress. “After his work he goes back to the stable and has a sleep and nothing worries him.
“He makes my job so easy. He put himself in the right spot and he has a really good turn of foot.
“He handles all tracks as well, so he should be a nice horse for up here.”
Emperor Max is raced by Gordon Yau, an anesthetist based in Singapore for the past 20 years, and his family, including father Yau Tat Hay, a former jockey in Hong Kong during the 1960’s and 70’s, who were all present to see the victory.
The Yau family bred Emperor Max from the mare Maxerelle, the first horse they raced, but who unfortunately died in April this year following a colic attack.
“We had this horse with Peter Moody and we decided to bring him to Singapore,” said Yau.
“My brother Ernest (also an anesthetist) races the horses in Hong Kong and because I’ve been here in Singapore for 20 years we thought we would bring this horse here.
“My father was a jockey in Hong Kong during the 1960’s and 70’s so we have always had an interest in racing and it was great to have the family here to see this win.
“We bred this horse. He’s from Maxerelle who was the very first horse that we raced but unfortunately she died from a colic attack in April.
“We’ve got a yearling from her back in Melbourne at the moment and maybe it will come up here at some stage.”
After winning two of his five starts in Australia and collecting almost A$36,000 in prizemoney, Emperor Max, a four-year-old gelding by Holy Roman Emperor, has now collected around $65,000 in prizemoney from his two victories in Singapore.
