A drop in handicap and a softer run in transit paved the way to Appreciation bouncing quickly back to the winner’s circle in the $60,000 Open Benchmark 67 race over 1100m on Friday night.
Last time out, the Sandtrap four-year-old had to lump a hefty 58kg and was given little respite by Flying Zero for most of the way before he was run down late by Xin Treasure.
Wiser from the first ride, jockey John Sundradas, in concert with trainer Sam Chua, decided to take a drop on a leader, who they had identified as noted speedster Happy Money (Danny Beasley) and let him run home inside the last two furlongs.
Their pre-race plans materialised exactly how they had worked out when Happy Money bounced out from his outside gate to shoot straight to the lead. John could not have asked for more as he settled his mount right on his hind before Dragon Spirit (Soo Khoon Beng) speared over three wide to inject more speed into the race.
Happy Money still held sway upon cornering, but the little breathing space he was afforded during the race soon told. Appreciation was peeled out to the middle and once his jockey gave a few smacks of the whip, he bounded away to a comfortable two-length win from Happy Money with Xin Treasure (Oscar Chavez) third another three parts of a length away.
The winning time was 1min 5.56secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
Chua said Appreciation, who is raced by the same owners (Mawen Racing Stable) as his other up-and-coming galloper Accomplished, who runs on Sunday, had some potential, but will be confined to short sprints at this stage of his career. In eight starts between 1000m and 1200m, Appreciation has chalked up three wins between 1100m and 1200m for stakes earnings in excess of $110,000.
“The drop in weight helped him. He had only 54kgs this time whereas he had 58kgs at his last run,” said the Singaporean conditioner.
“Noh’s (Senari) horse (Flying Zero) took him on and he just got beaten by another horse in the end.
“He’s a light-mouthed horse and I think John knows him better after that first ride. He gave him a very good ride.
“I’m glad for the owners as they also own Accomplished. To have one good horse is already great, to have two is a bonus.”
John, who has now ridden 12 winners this term, three-quarter of which are supplied by Chua, agreed the benefit of hindsight enabled him to produce a better-judged ride.
“He’s got a soft mouth and it didn’t help when the other horse wanted to pressure him at his last run,” said John.
“He also had 58kg that day, but today the light weight was a big help. When Danny’s horse (Happy Money) went in front, I knew he’d be too quick for us and I was quite happy to let him go.
“I just switched him off as he likes it better when he has a horse in front of him instead of being alone upfront as he then gets all fired up. He kept on very strongly to the line.”
