Listed winner Holy Warrior got the new Lucky Stable-Michael Freedman partnership to a cracking start when the Irish-bred stayer got right on the money at his maiden Singapore start on Sunday.
A lightly-raced four-year-old gelding when previously prepared by Gay Kelleway at Newmarket, Holy Warrior boasted a win in the Listed Prix Policeman (2000m) over Polytrack at Cagnes-sur-Mer in France when he arrived as the first Lucky Stable-owned galloper to ever be housed at Freedman’s yard last year.
Though the 1200m trip of Sunday’s Kranji Stakes C race looked too sharp, the Australian conditioner would not have been surprised if the son of Holy Roman Emperor did not get outpaced by the likely hot speed.
On his Kranji barrier trials (he won one on January 9), the feedback from race-jockey Manoel Nunes that Holy Warrior surprisingly showed plenty of speed had Freedman entertaining a silent hope.
That impression was confirmed when Holy Warrior jumped as good as any upon despatch to settle into the slipstream of the leaders Hammer Down (Zuriman Zulkifli) and Warspirit (Tan Wei Li) in fourth spot.
While favourite Perfect Charger (Oscar Chavez) looked like he had already given up trying at the top of the straight, Hammer Down was showing plenty of cheek upfront as he found another gear.
But once Holy Warrior ($23) saw daylight as he was switched across heels to the middle of the track, the race was soon a foregone conclusion. After easily accounting for Hammer Down, Holy Warrior bore down on the winning post with great purpose and looked all poised for a facile first-up win until Flash Gift (David Flores) came charging home on the rails.
The John O’Hara-trained US-bred five-year-old ate into the margin, but had to settle for second with Holy Warrior showing no signs of letting up to score with one length to spare from his gallant challenger. After doing all the bullocking work, Hammer Down held on well for third another half-a-length away.
The winning time was 1min 09.74secs.
“Though the distance was a touch short, I thought it was the right race to get him going,” said Freedman.
“He’s trialled sharply at both his trials and that gave me confidence he would not be out of his depth in a sprint race.
“I told Manoel if he runs along to ride him where he is comfortable and to just let him run on in the home straight.
“I would have been happy to just see him make ground today, but he won and that was a wonderful bonus.
“It’s always hard to stack up the form of those European horses here, especially as he’s run on good tracks there and he was going on a very firm track today.
“I haven’t seen many horses take on Class 3 horses and win at their very first race here. If he can reproduce that turn of foot over longer distances, that augurs very well for his future here.”
From a future perspective, the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge has obviously been locked away as a realistic target for Holy Warrior.
“We’ll have to have a look at what is available next. With the Polytrack races in March in three weeks’ time, I may have to back him off then,” said the Australian conditioner. “But the 4YO series is definitely something which may be right up his alley.
“For now, I will enjoy today’s win as he was my first runner for the Lucky Stable. It’s one from one!”
Nunes, who was at the double having earlier saluted astride Pegasus Victory, was suitably impressed with his 19th winner for the season.
“This is a very good horse. I was worried the 1200m would be too short, but he still won very well,” said the Brazilian rider.
“The way he trialled for me told me he could sprint. He showed a lot of speed for a horse who was supposed to be better over middle distances.
“He travelled very relaxed today and when I took him out he got the job done.
“I’m very impressed as he’s not a very big horse, but he certainly has a big heart and a big engine.”
