By Alan Carasso
Sunday's Singapore Guineas was billed as a rematch between Jupiter Gold and the previously undefeated Countofmontecristo, but with some sneaky form heading into the race, Forever Young caused an upset in front-running fashion.
Winner of two of his first three career appearances, Forever Young was seventh, but not beaten all that far by Countofmontecristo in the Singapore 3YO Sprint (1200m) Mar. 26, but bypassed the Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m) Apr. 16 and instead tried the best local sprinters in the Lion City Cup (1200m). A good fourth to the progressive Lim's Cruiser (Aus) (Casino Prince {Aus}) there, he was the distant fourth betting choice while stretching out for the Guineas.
The complexion of the race changed some when the filly Makanani (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}), better than a 100-1 chance, missed the kick allowing Forever Young to make the lead and slow it down up front. The opening 800m was posted in :48.49 and Forever Young was still enjoying a soft time of it, but Countofmontecristo was in striking position from third while Jupiter Gold was hitting his best stride down the outside. Countofmontecristo looked to hit a flat spot inside the final furlong and although Jupiter Gold rallied against a possible track bias on the day, Forever Young had done enough for the victory.
“I always felt he was a 1400m-1600m horse, but I purposely skipped the 1400m Leg and used the Lion City Cup as a lead-up race to the Guineas instead,” said trainer C. T. Kuah. “He ran very well in the Lion City Cup and could have even finished closer if he didn't get a bad check in the backstraight. That run gave me the confidence he could run up to the best horses in Sinagapore, and at weight-for-age, against his own age group, he would be even better.”
Pedigree Notes:
Forever Young descends from a top Darby Dan family, as his dam, sold in foal to the farm's Run Away and Hide for $4,000 at Keeneland November in 2009 when she was aged 18, is a half-sister to Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk), winner of the GI Beverly D. S. and the GI QE II Challenge Cup in record time. The latter became an outstanding producer in her own right, foaling dual Grade I winner Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}), GSW La Cloche (Ghostzapper) and the stakes-winning Storm Cat full-brothers British Blue and War Trace. Little Current, sire of Forever Young's second dam, carried the Darby Dan colors to victory in the 1974 GI Preakness S. and GI Belmont S. en route to champion 3-year-old honors, while Grade III-winning third dam Java Moon was by Darby Dan homebred Graustark (Ribot–Flower Bowl). Click for the Singapore Turf Club chart. VIDEO.
Sunday, Kranji, Singapore
SINGAPORE GUINEAS, S$500,000 (A$481,968/£273,795/€325,698/US$354,309), Kranji, 5-14, 3yo, 1600mT, 1:34.28, gd.
1–#FOREVER YOUNG, 119, g, 3, by Run Away and Hide
1st Dam: Best of Memories, by Halo
2nd Dam: All My Memories, by Little Current
3rd Dam: Java Moon, by Graustark
($4,200 Wlg '14 KEENOV; $12,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $44,000 RNA 2yo '16 OBSMAR). O-Wong Chi Tat; B-Wayne Hunt & Greg & Wilma Lynch (KY); T-Cheng Tee Kuah; J-Benny Woodworth; S$297,500. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-1, S$392,398. *1/2 to Best Minister (Deputy Minister), SW, $254,220.[bullet ad=”mulholland-springs-sold-by-2″][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]2–Jupiter Gold (Aus), 126, r, 3, Congrats–Contented (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$130,000 Ylg '15 MMGCYS). O-Jupiter Gold Stable. S$106,250.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Countofmontecristo (NZ), 126, g, 3, Echoes of Heaven (Aus)–Replicate (NZ), by Towkay (Aus). (NZ$57,500 2yo '15 NZBRTR). O-Joe Singh. S$53,750.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 13.20, 1.20, 1.40.
Also Ran: Makanani (Jpn), I've Got a Feeling (Aus), Could Be Pearls (NZ), Sir Isaac (Aus), Mr Exchequer (NZ), Leon (Aus), Deimos (NZ). Scratched: Skywalk (NZ).
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