By Alan Carasso
One of three fillies in this, the final leg of Singapore's lucrative Golden Horseshoe series for juveniles, Lim's Racer (NZ) (Red Giant) led home a 1-3 finish for the fairer sex and a sweep of the top three spots for Kiwi-breds and for graduates of various New Zealand Bloodstock sales.
One of two in the race for trainer Steven Burridge, Lim's Racer came into her May 22 debut with a lofty reputation, but did little running with beaten better than 11 lengths into 10th by the smart Jupiter Gold (Aus) (Congrats) in the Magic Millions National Yearling Sales S. She was nevertheless pounded into 9-5 joint-favourtism for against restricted maidens June 17 and made all the running to score by five lengths.
The fourth betting choice here, Lim's Racer jumped alertly from gate four, but was soon headed off by the outposted Caorunn (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}), who was driven along from his three-wide position to take up the running after the opening 300 metres. Caorunn's pace was honest enough, but the rail remained open and Danny Beasley wisely allowed Lim's Racer to slide up and that duo raced heads apart into the final quarter-mile. Caorunn took a slender lead into the ultimate furlong, but Lim's Racer simply refused to go away at the fence and dug in doggedly for a hard-fought success. Athena (NZ) (Nom du Jeu {NZ}) closed well up the inside for third.
“There's not much of her but she really put in a great effort,” said winning jockey. “She gave me a great ride in the run. I was able to rate her perfectly and she showed a real good kick. Around the circle, Shane's horse went after her, and probably went in front of her, but she came back and scored a really tough win.”
The winner's sire was raced in the US by John Fort's Peachtree Stable and was conditioned by leading trainer Todd Pletcher to a track-record setting performance in winning the 2008 GI Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship in California. Red Giant stands at Westbury Stud in New Zealand. The winner's dam has produced foals by Westbury's Reliable Man (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) in each of the last two years. Click for the Singapore Turf Club chart and VIDEO.
AUSHORSE GOLDEN HORSESHOE S., S$325,000 (£186,159/€217,659/A$320,936/US$240,992), 2yo, 1200mT, 1:10.15, gd.
1–#LIM'S RACER (NZ), 120, f, 2, Red Giant–Lady of the Garter (Aus), by Testa Rossa (Aus). (NZ$15,000 RNA Ylg '15 NZBFES). O-Lim's Stable; B-G Harvey; T-Steven Burridge; J-Danny Beasley; S$193,375. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, S$233,538.
2–Caorunn (NZ), 123, g, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Molly's Dolly (NZ), by Bertolini. (NZ$60,000 Ylg '15 NZBSEL). O-Shane Baertschiger. S$69,063.
3–Athena (NZ), 120, f, 2, Nom du Jeu (NZ)–Zingara (NZ), by Howbaddouwantit. (NZ$300 Wlg '14 NZBWNL). O-Olympian Stable. S$34,938.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: NK, 1HF, NK. Odds: 6.80, 11.20, 3.60.
Also Ran: Distinctive Darci (NZ), Macarthur (Aus), Sir Isaac (Aus), Siam Sapphire (NZ), Hello Michelle (NZ), Skywalk (NZ), Jupiter Gold (Aus), Muscular Captain (NZ), I've Got a Feeling (Aus), Pomp (Aus), Cai Poh Wang (Aus), Kubera's Chief (NZ).
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