Progressive Irish stayer Gold Faith showed that his last-start win was no fluke after he again got on the money in brilliant fashion on Friday night.
After seven fairly anonymous runs at Kranji, the Hong Kong-owned grey by Dark Angel finally opened his Singapore account in a Polytrack mile race for Kranji Stakes D Division 1 race over 1600m on August 20.
Stepped up to 1700m in Friday’s $60,000 Class 4 race, the galloper owned by prominent Hong Kong businessman Pan Sutong of Akeed Mofeed and Gold-Fun fame, berthed nicely for Vlad Duric in fourth spot two lengths off leader Black Swan (Alan Munro) before being peeled out for his run at the top of the straight.
At the 300m, Gold Faith had already levelled up with Black Swan and Northern Knight (Shafiq Rizuan). He did edge forward but felt a little dour, which was when Duric resorted to good old hands and heels to finish off the job.
Gold Faith ($31) put the race to bed quite easily in the end, in advance of first placegetter Northern Knight by 1 ½ lengths with Black Swan in third place another head away. The winning time was 1min 46.07secs for the 1700m on the Polytrack.
“The penny has dropped for this horse. He is an Irish-bred and needed more time to acclimatise, around six to eight months,” said Hill.
“That’s the way to ride him. He needs to settle and drop the bit early on.
“Vlad said he pulled too hard and that’s why I put a crossover noseband on him for the first time tonight. He jumped a bit keen but he relaxed quite well after that.
“He’s won on Polytrack twice but I think that’s probably because he raced on good ground back home which would be a yielding ground here.
“I always said he will be a nicer horse next season. I really think he can get away with a decent race one day.”
Duric, who has now forged a perfect alliance with Gold Faith for a two-from-two record, heaped praise on his 67th winner for the year.
“He jumped so well and I just rode our little race on the rails. It worked out perfectly and all I had to do was wait for the straight and he just ran away from them.”
Hill’s daughter assistant-trainer Samantha did not fail to give a nod to Gold Faith’s biggest fan at the winner’s circle – injured jockey Sam Subian.
“It’s Sam’s favourite horse. He used to ride him every day before his accident and he always asks how is his Group horse doing,” said Samantha Hill.
“I’m sure Sam will be thrilled to hear he’s won his second race tonight.”
Sam hurt his back in a race trial on June 13, 2017 and underwent operation. He has been wheelchair-bound since with doctors’ prognosis of his chances of walking again very slim.
