A Derby Job Well Done, Indeed

A good many of the 16 entrants for Sunday's Emirates Singapore Derby had questions to answer regarding their respective abilities to see out the 2000-metre distance. Employing a smart turn of foot inside the final furlong and given a masterful ride by Michael Rodd, Jason Goh's Well Done (NZ) (Falkirk {NZ}) responded emphatically, whooshing past his familiar foe Majestic Moments (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) to stamp himself as one of the leading middle-distance horses in the jurisdiction. Rockfast (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) turned in an effort full of merit to be third.

“It's clearly my biggest day as a trainer, I've had many sleepless nights before the race, and tonight, I won't be able to sleep again–it just hasn't sunk in yet,” enthused young trainer David Kok. “To win the Derby today, I would say, that tops it off, especially as I have only around 20 horses in my stable. I can't find the words.”

Sunday, Kranji, Singapore
EMIRATES SINGAPORE DERBY, S$1,150,000 (£659,035/€769,917/A$1,136,588/US$853,042), Kranji, 7-10, 4yo, 2000mT, 2:03, gd.
1–WELL DONE (NZ), 126, g, 4, by Falkirk (NZ)
1st Dam: Gold Cloud (NZ) (MGSW-NZ), by Truly Vain (Aus)
2nd Dam: Mitsuko (NZ), by English Harbour (GB)
3rd Dam: Fleet Vixen (NZ), by Resurgent (Ire)
(NZ$27,500 RNA Ylg '13 NZBSEL; NZ$90,000 2yo '13 NZBRTR). O-Well Done Stable (Jason Goh); B-Windsor Park Stud Ltd; T-David Kok; J-Michael Rodd; S$684,250. Lifetime Record: 17-7-2-3, S$1,205,575.
2–Majestic Moments (NZ), 126, g, 4, Darci Brahma (NZ)–In Spain (Ire), by Selkirk. (NZ$115,000 Ylg '13 NZBPRE; A$120,000 2yo '13 INGRTR). O-Tmen Stable; B-The Oaks Stud; T-Patrick Shaw; S$244,375.
3–Rockfast (Aus), 126, g, 4, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Gypsy Princess (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (NZ$410,000 Ylg '13 NZBPRE). O-Te Akau Racing Stable (D C Ellis); B-Orpendale & Chelsaus (Ireland) (NSW); T-Mark Walker; S$123,625.
Margins: 3/4, 1HF, NK. Odds: 4.80, 10.20, 5.40.
Also Ran: Mr Spielberg (NZ), Blue Danube (Arg), Newlands (Aus), Titanium (NZ), Time Odyssey (SAf), Bring Money Home (NZ), Believe Yourself (Aus), Street Taipan, Poseidon (NZ), Affleck (NZ), Winning Cause, Mighty Warrior (NZ), Ares (Ire). Scratched: Zip A Dee Doo Dah (NZ), Gilt Complex (NZ), Air Force One (NZ), Smart Lad (Aus).

Third to Blue Danube (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}) over this distance Mar. 20, Well Done filled the same spot behind Newlands (Aus) (Mugharreb) dropped back to the mile Apr. 8. Victorious in a 1700-metre Polytrack handicap May 20, Well Done was given a ground-saving trip by Glen Boss in the June 19 Patron's Bowl and the duo hit the front late before holding off a final rally from Majestic Moments. With Boss opting for Mr Spielberg (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) as his Derby ticket, Rodd was enlisted for Well Done and the decision was richly rewarded.

With the scratchings of the four emergencies, Well Done left running from gate four, but was eased back into a position slightly worse than midfield as Time Odyssey (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}) burned plenty of gas to get across down onto the fence from his double-digit draw. Whereas Well Done maintained a decided tactical advantage, positionally speaking, in the Patron's Bowl, Majestic Moments and Nooresh Juglall had him covered for the run down the backstretch, leaving Rodd no choice but to roll the dice up the inside as they entered the final 800 metres. Rockfast made the first serious move with a bold rush to lead at the head of the lane, but Juglall had pulled out Majestic Moments and followed in that one's wake, while Well Done was shuffled back nearly to last, with plenty of traffic to negotiate. Rockfast took them into the final 250 metres, but Majestic Moments quickly claimed him and looked on his way to a tables-turning success. It was not meant to be however, as Well Done was switched out and around rivals and into the clear and stormed down the center to put the race to bed in the final stages. Rockfast held for third from $25 (4-1) favorite Mr Spielberg, who finished well once free, but too late. Recipient of an S$50,000 bonus for taking out two legs of the 4-Year-Old Challenge, the winning owner pledged that prize to charity.

“He had a good trip throughout, but I thought the leader (Majestic Moments) was too far ahead at one stage,” said Rodd, twice sidelined via injury this season. “My horse hit a bit of a flat spot just like in the Patron's Bowl, but then he got his balance back and in the last 50m, he really gunned him down.” Click for the Singapore Turf Club chart and VIDEO.

Pedigree notes:
The winner was bred and sold by Windsor Park Stud who stand Falkirk (Tale of the Cat), also the sire of 2012 Hong Kong Derby hero Fay Fay (NZ). The winner's dam, a foal of 1993, was a two-time winner at Group 3 level in New Zealand has produced six winners from nine to race in Hong Kong, Australia and at home in addition to Singapore. Her most recent, and ostensibly her last foal, is a soon-to-be 3-year-old filly by G2 Celebration Mile winner and G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. runner-up Zacinto (GB) (Dansili {GB}).