South Korean jockey Moon Se Young made Thunder Cat, his only ride of the night, count to record his first win in Singapore on Friday.
Moon incidentally becomes the first jockey from the Land of the Morning Calm to win a race in Singapore. Korean jockeys previously rode at Kranji at the Korean-Singapore exchange races in the last two years, but none of them had saluted.
Licensed for three months by the Singapore Turf Club, the eight-time South Korean champion jockey made his Kranji debut on May 19, and after 13 rides, still showed a blank scoresheet.
To be fair, the Seoul rider was not getting onto prime chances, but still managed to finish in the money on two longshots (No Smoking Jeff, 2nd, and Dragon, 3rd), both for trainer Mohd Yusof, at his second meeting on May 21.
Support had been relatively slow to pick up. Left with only one booking (after Heracles was scratched) on Friday night, Thunder Cat in the very last race, the $60,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1000m, the 37-year-old was not asking for the moon.
Moon, who is booked for only two rides on Sunday - Alaranch and Mozart Eclipse - had a silent hope about Alwin Tan’s Thunder Cat, though.
He had trialled the previous four-time winner twice, jumping off with positive vibes about the horse.
It was with the same quiet confidence that he rode the Real Saga five-year-old in the race, taking a drop off the nippy pace set by last-start all-the-way winner Stock Broker (Nooresh Juglall) and Laurie Laxon’s newcomer Unconquered (Vlad Duric).
Turning for home, the leading duo were still going hammer and tongs, but after a smothered run worse than midfield, Moon jagged his mount to the outside upon straightening, levelling up on the nearside of Leadership (Sam Subian) who was also making his run out wide.
Thunder Cat ($72) was improving, albeit more workmanlike than anything else, but under Moon’s urgings, he suddenly sprouted wings inside the last 50m to go and upend Stock Broker by three parts of a length. Unconquered plugged on for third place another half-a-length away. The winning time was 59.06 seconds for the 1000m on Polytrack.
Needless to say, Moon and his wife Kim Ryeo Jin were over the moon at the winner’s circle.
“I’m very happy I won my first race in Singapore,” said Moon who speaks good English.
“I’ve had some support since I came here, and I hope this win will bring me even more support from other trainers from now on.
“I have to say this horse gave me a good feel in trackwork. I trialled him twice and he was in very good condition.
“I wanted to ride him in fifth or sixth position. The pace was very fast and I was happy where he was at the back.
“At the 400m, he started to improve and it’s only in the last 50m that he really sprinted. It’s a great feeling to cross the line first here in Singapore.
“I’d first like to thank the Singapore Turf Club for giving me the chance to ride here. I would also like to thank trainer Alwin Tan for the ride. He often helps me with rides in trackwork.”
The 2016 Singapore champion trainer was indeed very pleased for Moon, more so when he had become the first trainer to give him his first Kranji hurrah.
“It’s a good start for Moon. Every morning, he comes knocking my door for trackwork rides,” he said.
“He doesn’t know many trainers here, but he’s very hard-working and tries hard. As Thunder Cat had a light weight, I had no hesitation in giving Moon that ride.
“I thought the horse had a chance, and Moon rode him to instructions – off the pace and let him come home in the straight.”
Thunder Cat has now taken his record to five wins and five placings from 40 runs for stakes earnings past the $180,000 mark for the G-Star Stable.
