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The margin may have been only half a length but it was still an
impressive win by Laurie Laxon’s Crusoe in the inaugural
$125,000 Punters’ Way 30th Anniversary Cup (1400m) on Friday.
What made the victory even more memorable was the all-Kiwi
storyline with a touch of “old-friends-meet-again” as “new”
partner Andrew Calder was booked on the New Zealand-bred by
Volksraad. The young New Zealander rode Crusoe at his very start
race in his country of origin, although they did not win.
Andrew Calder (2) gets home on Crusoe ahead of King And King (1)
But Calder made the wait all the more worthwhile by giving the
Robert Emery-owned horse a peach of a ride, settling him in the
gun spot in fourth. Zinly (Benny Woodworth) was more forward
than usual by assuming the lead one off the fence with Tom Higgs
(Matthew Pumpa) breathing down his neck.
Into the race, Zinly could not really capitalise on his 50kgs
load as horses started to swarm around him. Tom Higgs gave a
brief illusion but quickly folded while Crusoe was warming up
nicely in the middle. But right on the outside it was comeback
horse King And King (Jainullah Farook) who seemed to be running
on with the biggest acceleration.
Trainer Steven Burridge was thrilled at the return of King And
King.
The six-year-old hadn’t raced since October last year when he
suffered minor injuries in the Raffles Cup, after jockey Richard
Lim was dislodged.
A barrier trial last Tuesday gave Burridge the confidence to
start the son of Celestial Dancer and his judgement was spot on,
with an eye-catching run by the horse.
"That was really good, it’s great to see him return that well,"
said Burridge.
"The main thing is now that he pulls up well.
"There’s a mile in two weeks time which he’ll run in as that
will be his final lead up run to the Queen Elizabeth Cup (2000m)
(April 15).
"If everything goes according to plan then he’ll take his place
in the International race, he should be just about rock hard fit
by then.
"I’m just relieved right now that he has been able to return as
well as he has."
The International Group 1 $3 Million Singapore Airlines
International Cup (2000m) will be run on Sunday May 20 and has
attracted 125 entries at the first stage.
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