Burridge secures a double - of sorts

Michael Lee/Craig Brennan
Sunday, October 19, 2008

The rain kept falling on the Singapore Turf Club, but that did not stop in form Michael Cahill from gettting Lim's Ocean to give his best work last for a thrilling finish.

A thrilling three-way go in Race 7 saw Lim's Ocean (No 4) dead-heating with Daring Commander (black winkers), with Sun Village (on the inside) third a short head away.

With 50m to go, both Stewart and Michael Cahill (Lim’s Ocean) had a last go, seeing the leader shortening up suddenly. In a blanket finish, the duo lunged at the post with Lim’s Ocean finishing the strongest on the outside.

The judge called for the photo and the verdict took a while to be semaphored but in a bob of the heads, Daring Commander and Lim’s Ocean came out sharing the spoils to punters’ delight, though some may still whinge about the halved payouts.

Daring Commander paid $8 while Lim’s Ocean paid $9 for the win.

While trainer Steven Burridge who saddled an earlier winner in Tobias was all smiles at the outcome and let out a philosophical “better than getting beat”, the more eloquent of the winning training duo was Brown.

“Phew, it’s been a while but I’ll take a dead-heat anytime,” said Brown who has been going through a lean spell since So Majestic saluted on August 24.

“This horse has been pretty good to me. It’s his third win for me,” said Brown.

“Considering the other horse (Lim’s Ocean) had only 54kgs on his back, he’s done a good job to win giving three kilos and racing on a soft track.

“I didn’t think he’d won from where I was, but when I saw the replay I thought I was still in with a chance.

“I’ve had a terrible run lately and this win couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Daring Commander is a five-year-old by The Commander out of the Touching Wood mare Letty and has now won five races for the Lucky Rich Stable owned by Sunny Lim.

Lim’s Ocean is a six-year-old by O’Reilly out of the Centaine mare Robbers Aunty and was at his third success for the Lim’s Stable.