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Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker has continued his domination of the Singapore Trainers' Premiership, notching up two further wins with an impressive double at Kranji on Friday evening.

The wins came with Augustus, a horse purchased by David Ellis and syndicated by Karyn Fenton-Ellis from the Inglis Digital Sale with the express view of racing in Singapore - and Sacred Rebel for the Raffles' Racing team ... as the Singapore Turf Club reported:

Sacred Rebel franked the form shown at his devastating Singapore maiden win with another scintillating victory on Friday night.

The former three-time winner from Queensland opened his Kranji account with a dominant win at his third start in a Class 3 race over 1100m on April 12.

While the Sepoy four-year-old despatched his rivals with a sweeping run from near-last that night, he was in a less dawdling mood as he rushed forward in the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1200m, but was not any less spectacular in the way he drew away inside the last furlong.

Breaking from the outermost alley in 11, Sacred Rebel ($19) was ridden out early for an on-speed berth among the first few before easing onto the outside of leader Trigamy (Mohammad Nizar).

It was a clever piece of riding from Benny Woodworth. By staying pitched in that spot for as long as he could, the Malaysian jockey had the favourite Jomo (John Powell) locked away in third on the rails. 

Upon straightening, the moment Woodworth cut the ribbons, Sacred Rebel responded with that explosive burst of his to quickly put a space of two lengths on the pack.

Jomo had in the meantime been angled out and had clear galloping room to dart through, but the behemoth of a horse that he is just could not muster a sharp enough acceleration to counter the fleet-footed Sacred Rebel's. 

At the 100m, the damage was already done - Sacred Rebel was three lengths clear and showing no signs of wobbling. The margin was eventually cut back to two and three quarter lengths by Lim's Dashing (Amirul Ismadi) who snuck up on the inside to overpower a dour Jomo by three parts of a length for the runner-up spot. 

The winning time was 1min 10.98secs for the 1200m on the Polytrack.

With that second win for the night (Augustus saluted earlier) winning trainer Mark Walker maintained his four-length lead on Michael Clements, who also saddled a training double on that night with Big Hearted (see earlier report) and Elena Of Avalor.

Sacred Rebel along with the other gun Raffles Racing Stable horse Sacred Croix are two choice horses for the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, but the Kiwi mentor is in no haste to cast anything in stone.

“I have a lot of horses in the right grade right now. I'll take what we can and enjoy the run,” he said.

“This horse had one run on turf and he was not very good, which is very funny. Dato Yap (Kim San) also has Sacred Croix for the 4YO series.

“I haven't discussed yet with Dato Yap and his racing manager Bruce Sherwin, but I might split them up a little.”

One person who would know both Sacred horses well is Woodworth as he has partnered them at all their Kranji wins, but he diplomatically left it to Walker to deal with the happy headache.

“This horse has improved from his last start. He jumped out so well and sat in second place so easy,” said the Malaysian jockey who has struck a rich vein of form since he began his association with Walker, especially on the Raffles Racing Stable horses.

“I was just tracking the leader, timing my run. At the top of the straight, I let him go and he lengthened up and stretched out nicely.

“He gave me a good feel and a very good gallop to the line.

“I'd like to thank the owner and Mark for putting me on their horses, but I'll leave the decision to separate their horses to Mark.”

Sacred Rebel has now taken his local record to two wins and one third from four starts for stakes money in excess of the $80,000 mark for the Raffles Racing Stable.

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