Shaw Optimistic About ‘Rocket’ Return

by Alan Carasso

South African-born and now Singapore-based trainer Patrick Shaw lights up noticeably when the subject of Rocket Man (Aus) (Viscount {Aus}) comes up. And with obvious good reason. A professional trainer since 1990, Shaw registered his biggest success on South African soil with Teal (SAf) (Foveros {GB}) in the G1 Durban July S. in 1995 before relocating to this country in 2001. Through a close association with fellow South African owner Fred Crabbia, Shaw’s career continued to flourish, but he gained international recognition with the emergence of Rocket Man in 2008. 

“Obviously he’s been magical,” Shaw said Friday after winning the day’s second race at Kranji. “He’s one of those horses that every trainer dreams of having. You go to the races wondering if he’s going to do his best, but with him, you know he’s going to do his best. Every time he’s got beat, he’s had an excuse. If it was up to me and nobody else, I’d say he should be unbeaten. He was beaten twice in the KrisFlyer, but just unluckily, and was beaten in Dubai on a much heavier track than he’s used to, but as I say, he’s always done his best.” 

An A$60,000 acquisition out of the 2007 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, the gelding won his first seven races on the bounce, including the first of a remarkable four straight successes in the Lion City Cup, the country’s top domestic sprint. He was sent off the even-money favorite against the likes of Hong Kong champion Sacred Kingdom (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) and Aussie legend Takeover Target (Aus) (Celtic Swing {GB}) and Godolphin’s Diabolical (Artax) in the 2009 KrisFlyer. Always traveling well for Robbie Fradd, with 4-1 joint-second choice Sacred Kingdom waiting in the wings, Rocket Man slipped through to lead in upper stretch, but the Hong Kong raider called upon his experience for a narrow victory, clocking a quick 1:07.80 for the 1200 meters (video). 

Sent to Dubai for his first of three consecutive appearances in the G1 Golden Shaheen, Rocket Man finished ahead of all but Kinsale King (Yankee Victor), repeated in the Lion City and dropped a narrow decision to the Green Birdie (NZ) (Catbird {Aus}) over unsuitably easy ground in the 2010 KrisFlyer. Sent to Hong Kong later that year, he dead-heated for the win in the Jockey Club Sprint and just missed to J J the Jet Plane (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, then three months later, became the first horse to post a Group 1 success for Singapore, defeating Euroears (Langfuhr) in the 2011 Golden Shaheen. He finally got a well-deserved KrisFlyer by turning the tables on Sacred Kingdom and returned to Dubai in early 2012 to finish second to Krypton Factor (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) in the Shaheen. 

He came back to Singapore for his fourth Lion City score, but was forced to miss the KrisFlyer and hasn’t been out since. 

Exceptionally fit and trim, the 58-year-old Shaw has been nursing Rocket Man back to health and holds out hope that the champ can make it back to the races over the coming months to attempt to improve on a remarkable record of 27-20-5-0.

“He is in his second full month back in training,” the Johannesburg native said in the Champagne Room at Kranji Friday afternoon. “He’s had two of what we call ‘half-paced’ [workouts], which is a steppingstone to a faster bit of pacework. That should come in the next two weeks, I’m just waiting for a bit of rain. In Singapore we haven’t had rain for a good, solid month. The track is hard and I’m not obviously not going to take any chances with him. Veterinary-wise and training-wise, he’s sound as ever and we just hope we can get him back for the Lion City [Cup, 1200 meters, Apr. 26] and the KrisFlyer [International Sprint, 1200 meters, May 17].” 

Shaw explained the nature of the various ailments that have kept Rocket Man on the shelf. 

“It began with a suspensory ligament and gave him a full six months off,” he recollected. “The suspensory went well, and then all of a sudden, he got a ligament below the suspensory running to the coronet band, which to me is more crucial to the suspensory. I’ve raced horses with a suspensory, and if it was just the suspensory, we’d be running. But obviously with the ligament below the suspensory, you have to worry about both of them, so that’s why I gave him all this time off. So hopefully we’ll get him back.” 

Shaw knows Rocket Man is the gift of a lifetime and wants to relish whatever the gelding has left to offer. He is simultaneously realistic about the future. 

“You never want to be too positive with horses,” he commented. “You give owners hopes, you give yourself hopes, but like I said, it’s all up to him. I’m not going to take any chances. He’s been too good to us. When he shows me he can do it, I’ll let him do it.”