Sprint showdown moves a step closer to reality

Monday, 23 May, 2011

The showdown between Australia’s golden girl of the turf Black Caviar and Singapore’s champion Rocket Man moved a step closer to fruition on Sunday night when the latter demolished his rivals in the $A757,285 Krisflyer International Sprint (1200m) at Singapore’s Kranji Racecourse.

As the third leg of the 2011 Global Sprint Challenge, Rocket Man is now eligible for a record $1.2 million payout if he can upstage defending champion Black Caviar in the Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) on the final day of this year's Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) announced on Thursday that prize money for the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic – the eighth leg of the Global Sprint Challenge – has been increased from $750,000 to a record $1 million.

In a bid to entice the world's leading sprinters down under to challenge Black Caviar, the VRC also unveiled a further $600,000 bonus for the winner of an international leg of the 2011 Global Sprint Challenge if it can claim the Patinack Farm Classic.

Rocket Man, now a winner of 16 of his 20 starts, was the number one international target for the VRC and Racing Victoria (RV) who have commenced discussions with the horse's connections about competing during the Spring Racing Carnival.

RV's international recruitment officer Leigh Jordon was at Kranji on Sunday night to offer an invitation to Rocket Man's trainer Patrick Shaw to fly to Victoria and inspect the training facilities at the Werribee International Horse Centre.

In an important step towards a showdown with the unbeaten Black Caviar on Australian soil, Shaw, who has consistently declared his horse better than the champion mare, has accepted the invitation and will fly to Victoria in the coming weeks.

Despite sitting three wide for the first half of the Krisflyer, Rocket Man exploded away from his rivals on straightening to claim the Group 1 by four-and-three-quarter lengths in 1:09.14.

It was a case of third time lucky for the hometown hero who was beaten into second in the previous two editions of Singapore's premier sprint by Hong Kong pair Sacred Kingdom (2009) and Green Birdie (2010), who were amongst the beaten brigade on Sunday night.

A jubilant Shaw declared post-race, “He's the best horse in the world. They can bring whatever they like (over here). I'm not just saying it because it's Rocket Man, I mean it.”

Winning jockey Felix Coetzee, a South African like Shaw, said, “He's just sensational and it's such a privilege to ride a horse like this....I'm just the lucky guy on top. These great ones they do it all for you.”

Locally trained horses filled the trifecta with Eclair Fastpass second and Perfect Pins third, whilst second favourite Sacred Kingdom could only manage sixth in the hands of Glen Boss.

The Global Sprint Challenge continues with legs four to six in the United Kingdom commencing with the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes (1000m) at Royal Ascot on 14 June.

Black Caviar won't be contesting those. She is currently spelling after making it 13 from 13 in the Group 1 BTC Cup (1200m) at Brisbane's Doomben Racecourse on 14 May and will return to the track during the Spring Racing Carnival.

RESULT - 2011 KRISFLYER SPRINT- G1

1200m / 6f

3rd LEG GLOBAL SPRINT CHALLENGE

TRACK: Good

Third time lucky for Rocket Man in KrisFlyer

Michael Lee / Craig Brennan
Sunday, May 22, 2011

After running two seconds for two consecutive years, Singapore champion sprinter Rocket Man finally went one better in the $1 million Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m at Kranji on Sunday.

The revenge was even sweeter as his two victors Sacred Kingdom (2009) and Green Birdie (2010) were this time comprehensively beaten by Patrick Shaw’s Viscount five-year-old.

The win recorded in 1min 9.14secs also handed Rocket Man his second International Group 1 success, two months after making history by becoming the first Singapore-based horse to achieve such a feat with a dominant win in the US$2 million Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Golden Shaheen (1200m) at Meydan in Dubai.

But despite the Dubai delight, the home crowd had deep down been holding out for the one that mattered the most – the KrisFlyer, which incidentally constituted the third Leg of the Global Sprint Challenge for the first time at this year’s renewal - on their own turf.

And how Rocket Man realised their dreams with an even more crushing victory than in the Golden Shaheen.

The fastest out of the gates, Rocket Man with his international partner Felix Coetzee up, bolted out of his ninth gate to be a length in front. But Better Be The One (Danny Beasley) and Perfect Pins (Saimee Jumaat) railed through on the inside to keep Rocket Man three wide for a while.

But as the speed battle eased off, Better Be The One emerged in front with Perfect Pins tucking in behind while Rocket Man elected to sit second outside Better Be The One.

Coetzee bided his time until the home turn when he popped the question to the champ, who responded brilliantly with that burst of speed that has demoralised many opponents. As Rocket Man put two lengths on the rest, all eyes were cast behind on any potential party poopers who could deny him that joy for the third time.

Of the two Hong Kong raiders, Sacred Kingdom looked to be travelling better as he was set alight by Glen Boss on the outside while Green Birdie (Brett Prebble) seemed to be battling away at the back. Among the locals, Better Be The One, widely tagged as Singapore potential bridesmaid to Rocket Man was knocking up while Perfect Pins was still in the hunt.

But it did not really matter in the end when Coetzee switched on the rocket booster. Rocket Man let down with a withering burst to put a space on the rest and put the issue quickly beyond doubt a long way from home - leaving the chasing pack to battle for the minors.

From the ruck, Eclair Fastpass (Jose Verenzuela) ran on the best to claim second, 4 ¾-length away, with a head to third-placed Perfect Pins for a Singapore trifecta in a race the hosting country had not even won before.

But the cheers were for only one horse – crowd pleaser Rocket Man who returned to the winner’s circle to a standing ovation from his adoring fans. Shaw and Crabbia were the first in line and needless to say, emotions ran high as their hero filed into No 1 stall instead of No 2 he stood at in the last two editions.

“He’s done us proud again and this time he’s won the one that has proved elusive for so long,” said Shaw.

“I was never really concerned when he was caught three wide early on. I know he can sit anywhere and just switch off.

“He was always travelling well and I had no doubt he would be hard to beat once he straightened up. This is an amazing victory, for Fred, for us, for Singapore.

“This is probably his biggest win in Singapore, but like I said before, his win in this year’s Lion City Cup was also sensational.” 

The champagne had barely popped that talks of Rocket Man, whose stakes money have now exceeded the $5.2 million mark, have inevitably surfaced, more so when a mouth-watering duel with Australia’s unbeaten mare and world’s highest rated racehorse Black Caviar had been fuelling debates in racing circles around the world.

“He’s obviously older and getting stronger. I’ll see how he pulls up but there are a few options overseas we are already considering,” said Shaw.

“His well-being comes first. I’ll speak to Barend (Vorster) and Felix (Coetzee) and decide from there what the options will be.

“The July Cup at Newmarket is one, Japan and Australia further down the road. I’m going to England to have a look and I can stay at Mike de Kock’s yard at Newmarket.

“I’ve also been invited to go and inspect the quarantine facilities in Australia in Melbourne in two weeks.

“They can bring her (Black Caviar) wherever they want. We’re happy to take her on. Tell them that.

“I’ve been waiting to go to Australia to take her on for a while. I’ve seen her and she is a great mare but Rocket Man is better than she is.”

Coetzee, who knows a thing or two about riding famous champion sprinters having been Hong Kong legend Silent Witness’ partner, was simply blown away by Rocket Man’s easy victory but remained as humble as ever.

“I feel so privileged to be the jockey of such a champion. I am very grateful to Pat, Fred, Jacci and Ricardo for the amazing work they have done with this horse,” said the South African veteran jockey.

“I would also like to thank Barend (Vorster) who rides him all the time here (Singapore). I am very grateful to him too.

“This win means a lot to everyone at home. It’s huge and he has a big following everywhere he runs, but this win in Singapore is probably a touch special.

“He jumped very nice and was straightaway in front but right then, they started pushing on the inside.

“That is a game plan Pat and myself has been playing out many times before the race. I discussed with Pat and viewed many videos and I told myself I should not panic early on as the horse knows his pace.

“He did change his legs but that’s when he kicks into gear and picked up very nicely. I didn’t know how far behind the rest was as I was focused on my horse alone.”

Nobody was as proud and over the moon as his owner, Fred Crabbia, who despite the flurry of accolades earned with clearly the best horse he has ever owned, was choking with emotion about that one win in the KrisFlyer.

“This is my proudest moment in racing,” said Crabbia. “I thought the Dubai race was the best night of my life, but this is 20 times better.

“To all the people who have had anything to do with this horse I must thank you. To Pat and all the staff in the stable, this is a huge thrill.

“I was a bit concerned early when they challenged him early, but Felix knows him so well. He just had to wait for the straight and I knew the horse had the firepower to beat the others off.

“The horse proved himself a cut above the rest. He’s a superstar.”

If there was another person who was just as excited as Crabbia, but who is not at all connected with Rocket Man, it had to be Singaporean trainer Desmond Koh, who prepares Eclair Fastpass.

“I’m just so proud of me. I’m probably the second happiest man on Earth now,” said Koh.

“My horse was in the best form of his life and I was expecting a good run but to run second to one of the best horses in the world is just amazing.

“Come to think of it, Rocket Man was in one race and we were in the other – and we won that race.

“The only thing is he may get punished for that second place to Rocket Man in a Group 1 race. I’ll have to discuss with the owners what is the next move for him.”

Rocket Man, a five-year-old gelding by Viscount out of the Mr McGinty mare Macrosa, has now scored 16 wins, four seconds from 20 starts – all run over 1200m. He retuned $6 for a win

Copyright 2011 Singapore Turf Club

VRC MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT

Thursday 19 May, 2011

WORLD’S BIGGEST SPRINT WINNER’S CHEQUE AWAITS AT FLEMINGTON

In an exciting new development, the connections of winners of Global Sprint Challenge races conducted overseas will now have a major incentive to travel their horses to Flemington in November to compete against Australia’s best sprinters, after the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and Patinack Farm joined to lift prizemoney for the 2011 Patinack Farm Classic.

The VRC and Patinack Farm have developed the 2011 Patinack Farm Classic – Group 1, WFA, 1200 metres at Flemington on Saturday 5 November – with a range of key initiatives for 2011, 2012 and 2013.  Details are:

• Prizemoney for the 2011 Patinack Farm Classic will increase from $750,000 to $1,000,000 (2009 - $500,000).  First prize is now a guaranteed $AUD600,000.
  

• An additional winner’s bonus of $600,000 will be available, making for a potential winner’s cheque of $1.2 million – the biggest winner’s payout for any sprint race in the world. 
  

• Payment of the $600,000 bonus will be conditional on the winner of the 2011 Patinack Farm Classic having already won a Global Sprint Challenge (GSC) race OUTSIDE AUSTRALIA since 1 October 2010.
  

• An Australian or New Zealand trained horse can become eligible for the bonus by having won any 2011 Global Sprint Challenge race outside Australia.
  

• Bonus eligible horses to date are South African trained J.J. The Jet Plane, winner of the 2010 HK International Sprint, Hong Kong trained Ultra Fantasy, winner of the 2010 (Japan) Sprinters Stakes, and Japanese trained Kinshasa no Kiseki, winner of the 2011 Takamatsunomiya Kinen. Eligibility is backdated to October 2010 because the 2011 Japanese Sprinters Stakes (October 2011) winner will be unable to complete quarantine requirements in time for the 2011 Patinack Classic, run 34 days later.
  

• Upcoming GSC races in 2011 are: Krisflyer International Sprint (SGPR) on 22 May; King’s Stand Stakes (UK) on 14 June; Golden Jubilee Stakes (UK) on 18 June and July Cup (UK) on 8 July.
  

• Under the GSC program, a Racing Victoria Ltd travel subsidy is available to connections of overseas horses competing in the 2011 Patinack Farm Classic.
  

• It should be noted that Singapore’s Rocket Man or Sacred Kingdom from Hong Kong can become eligible for the bonus by winning the Krisflyer.

VRC Chief Executive, Mr Dale Monteith, said:

“The Club has for some time been exploring the development of other races in the Melbourne Cup Carnival to attract international participation.  The Patinack Farm Classic offers such an opportunity, and we believe the announcement today will incentivize the connections of the world’s best sprinters to hopefully take on Black Caviar and Australia’s best sprinters.

The increased internationalization of the Melbourne Cup Carnival will bring significant benefits to the Victorian Racing Industry.  The Club is most appreciative of Patinack Farm’s strong commitment to the race and its internationalization, with a three-year extension to its sponsorship”.

Patinack Farm Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peter Beer, said:

“Patinack Farm is delighted to support the VRC with its excellent initiatives to make the Patinack Farm Classic one of the world’s most exciting races, by extending our sponsorship commitment by a further three years.  The increase in prizemoney reflects Patinack Farm’s commitment to be Australia’s leading locally owned horse racing and breeding operation” he concluded.

2011 KRISFLYER SPRINT 1200m (6f)

Singapore Racecourse, Kranji

THIRD LEG 2011 GLOBAL SPRINT CHALLENGE

Sunday 22 May, 2011

7:50pm (SNG) 12:50am (UK) 8:50pm (JPN) 9:50pm (AUS) 7:50pm(HK)