With the Singapore Triple Crown Series on the horizon, classy galloper Johnny Guitar’s return to form has come at the perfect time for trainer Patrick Shaw.
The Argentinian-bred brown gelding saluted visited the winner’s circle for the first time in six months with a slashing victory in the New Zealand Racing Board Trophy on Sunday.
Ridden for the first time by John Powell, who did some of his early trackwork when the son of Lode arrived in Singapore earlier this year, Johnny Guitar extended his formidable record over the mile as he kicked clear to win the $125,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1600m, finishing two lengths clear of Dujardin (Manoel Nunes) with stablemate Lizarre (Nooresh Juglall) another half-length back in third.
Winless since his victory in the Group 3 Polytrack Mile Championship on March 7, Johnny Guitar has featured in a number of high profile assignments for his South African mentor, including May’s Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m), and while never disgracing himself, success at the top tier was proving elusive.
Sent for a freshen-up and out of action for 49 days has worked like a treat though as Johnny Guitar ($15) will head into the Group 1 Panasonic Kranji Mile on October 5 with the sweet taste of success and the bit between his teeth.
“He wasn’t actually supposed to run this week but we made the late decision and he delivered a really good run out there today,” said Shaw. “He won at his only other start on the Polytrack and has done it again. I’m very happy with the way he raced.”
What was equally pleasing for the 2011 champion trainer, whose stable is bursting with talent with a number of hopefuls for each of the three legs of the Singapore Triple Crown Series, was the way Johnny Guitar (a two-time Group 1 winner at San Isidro) found that extra gear and explosive kick that appeared to be missing for a while down the straight to tear away from the rest of the five horses.
It sets him up nicely for a stab at the Kranji Mile in three weeks and Shaw was licking his lips at the prospect of unleashing Johnny Guitar in the $500,000 contest. The gelding has now won five times and two thirds from eight career starts over the eight-furlong trip.
“There are a few runners who will give him a challenge in it but I think he’ll run a good race in it,” said Shaw. “Then he’ll go for the Raffles Cup (1800m) and Gold Cup (2200m). I think he still has the potential to be an 1800m horse.”
What remains unclear is who will be in the reins for these upcoming assignments with his regular partner Barend Vorster due to complete his comeback from injury by the end of this month. In the South African hoop’s absence, his good friend and golfing buddy Powell has done his chances of a call-up no harm and having worked with Johnny Guitar earlier this year, knew exactly what he had underneath him when he pulled the trigger at the top of the straight. The winning time on the Polytrack was 1min 41.09secs.
“The race worked out very nicely for us and he showed us what a good horse he is when he ran on down the straight,” said the Australian rider. “It’s been unlucky for Barend having to miss out on quite a few rides from Pat and I’m sure he’ll be keen to start riding again when he returns.”
A four-time winner back home in South America where he collected US$152,362, Johnny Guitar has proven to be a sound investment since relocating to these shores for South African owner Fred Crabbia. With three wins from 11 starts here, the gelding has earned just over $420,000 in prizemoney since his debut here in January.
