Trainer Steven Burridge notched a winning double at Kranji on Sunday when Piercing secured the $55,000 Class 4 first division over 1400 metres.
Burridge had won the opening race on the program with Mighty Rajah who had been beset with a history of leg problems which had prevented the gelding from breaking his duck prior to the $35,000 Maiden Stakes over 1400 metres on Sunday.
A big lump of a horse – weighing in at 556 kg – Mighty Rajah, under John Powell, raced on the speed before scoring a one-and-a-half length victory over Ace Admire (Noel Callow) with Lim’s Adventure (Danny Beasley) the same margin away in third place.
The Burridge stablemates – Happy Horse (Gavin McKeon) and Mighty Rajah – took up the running over Tien Ma (K B Soo) and Havoc (Mark Ewe).
Little had changed by the time the hometurn was reached whereby Powell quickly had Mighty Rajah up outside the leader on straightening with Callow on Ace Admire in hot pursuit.
But Powell was coaxing the best from Mighty Rajah without punishing him to the line and was comfortably holding the runner-up on the line.
Lim’s Adventure was the unlucky runner. He was held-up on the inside of runners as the field made its way to the hometurn before coming out wide in the straight and running on strongly.
Heavyweight galloper Mighty Rajah with John Powell iun the saddle breaks through
for his maiden victory on Sunday.
Burridge said Mighty Rajah’s career almost came to an end six months ago with constant leg problems worrying the trainer.
“He’s probably too heavy for his legs,” Burridge said. “He’s had a history of leg problems and it got to the stage where we nearly retired him six months ago.
“He kept going sore behind, but the owner persisted with him and I’m just so happy for him that he’s finally won a race.”
Even though Mighty Rajah is a five-year-old, Burridge said the gelding was still “very green”.
“Now that he’s finally won a race it might do him the world of good,” Burridge said. “He’s finally put it altogether and hopefully the penny will drop with him now.”
A five-year-old son of Esperero from the Almurtajaz mare Turbo, Mighty Rajah was a trial winner in Adelaide before heading to Singapore.
He was having his 17th race start on Sunday. He had previously recorded four second placings and took his prizemoney past the $50,000 for the Unify Stable.
Piercing secured the double for Burridge under the urgings of Matt Kellady in a neck victory over Winning Expert (Noel Callow) with Great Arc (Sheryl Cheam) a further three lengths away third.
"She's a battler but she tries her heart out," Burridge said of Piercing. "We found the right race for her today but she's going to find it a lot tougher now that she's in Class 3 company."
Kellady said he possibly got to the front a little too soon aboard the mare.
"We had a good run but on the 'E' course you have to get going early," Kellady said. "We got to the front a little too soon, but she fought hard all the way to the line.
"It was her right race today and she had the luck on her side."
Piercing is a four-year-old daughter of Pins from the Dancing Czar mare You Dreamer. Sunday's victory was her second in 10 starts since arriving in Singapore last October.
Piercing with Matt Kellady on board proves too strong for Winning Expert (Noel
Callow) to bring up the double for Steven Burridge. |