By Alan Carasso
Let go at whopping odds despite a fairly consistent career record, Titanium (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) came with a wicked run from the back of the field to run away with the Stewards' Cup, the first leg of the 4-year-old series, Sunday at Singapore's Kranji Racecourse.
Winner of three of his first four career appearances when trained by Michael Freedman, the gelding was a close sixth to Ares (Ire) (Approve {Ire}) in his final run for that now Australian-based conditioner over 1600m Mar. 18 before just being touched off as the favorite in the Apr. 3 JBBA Moonbeam Classic (1800m) in his first start for Freedman's assistant James Peters.
Completely dismissed by the punting public on the cutback in trip, Titanium was beaten for speed and settled at the tail of the field as the fleet filly Kiwi Karma (NZ) (Fast 'N' Famous {Aus}) burned across from her high draw to set a pressured pace. Quietly ridden as they raced around the turn, Titanium had no choice but to switch out to the grandstand side to launch his rally in earnest. On the business end, Kiwi Karma, the third betting choice, but a question mark over this trip, was being overhauled by Majestic Moments (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) down towards the fence, but Titanium was finding his best stride and flew home down the center to score by a widening margin. My Lucky Strike (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}) was up for second to complete a S$1,635 forecast (i.e. quinella), while the Tierce (trifecta) returned S$34,301, each for an S$2 stake.
“He's a horse who goes very well fresh and has a very good turn of foot,” said the Englishman Peters, who also served as senior track rider under Freedman and was saddling his first black-type winner. “All he needs is a hard pace upfront to finish it off. I was never bothered by the wide draw. He's a horse who gets back and I know he can really let down. That's what I told [jockey Kasim] 'Harry' [A'Isisuhairi]. Get back and let him come into the race as the race unfolds. We're definitely looking forward to the mile and the Derby now.”
The second Leg of the Challenge is the Patron's Bowl (1600m) June 19 followed by the Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) July 10.
The winner's dam is represented by an as-yet unnamed full-sister to Titanium, an NZ$36,000 purchase by G.N. Nicholson out of the 2015 NZB Select Yearling Sale.
Click for the Singapore Turf Club chart. VIDEO.
Sunday, Kranji, Singapore
STEWARDS' CUP, S$300,000 (£148,708/€195,704/A$302,686/US$217,486), 4yo, 1400mT, 1:22.54, gd.
1–#TITANIUM (NZ), 126, g, 4, Tavistock (NZ)–Zanetta (NZ) (GSW-Aus, A$330,570), by Centaine (Aus). (NZ$10,000 Ylg '13 NZBSEL; NZ$47,500 2yo '13 NZBRTR). O-Graceland Stable; B-Sir Patrick & Lady Hogan; T-James Peters; J-K A'isisuhairi; S$178,500. Lifetime Record: 16-6-2-2, S$483,798.
2–My Lucky Strike (Aus), 126, g, 4, Charge Forward (Aus)–Hanna Rossa (Aus), by Testa Rossa (Aus). O-Lucky Stable. S$63,750.
3–Believe Yourself (Aus), 122, f, 4, Sebring (Aus)–Private (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus). O-Tomohiro Sekiguchi. S$32,250.
Margins: 2HF, HD, NK. Odds: 38.40, 49.80, 5.60.
Also Ran: Majestic Moments (NZ), Bring Money Home (NZ), Jay Eff Express (Aus), Hero I Am (Aus), Kiwi Karma (NZ), Ares (Ire), Lim's Rally (NZ), A La Victory (NZ), Affleck (NZ), Poseidon (NZ), Spanish Bay (Aus), Divided House (Aus), Storm Troops (Arg). Scratched: Fortune Winner (Arg).
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