Another Weekend, Another Winner
23 July, 2016
Reigning Champion Singapore trainer, Te Akau's Mark Walker started his weekend off in fine fashion - after a busy week of travel. Mark arrived back in Singapore after celebrating the 10th birthday of his son Zavier with him in Queensland during the week - happy birthday Zavier!
With some very nice placings at Kranji on Friday night by the likes of Awatere (2nd - well done to the Forsyth family) and Miss Waimataitai (3rd) it was down to Storm Trooper to carry the tangerine colours home in the last, with stablemate Aspen running into a creditable fourth (any rain would have been a great assist to Aspen).
Storm Trooper has been such an honest campaigner since his owners agreed to send him to Singapore - he has a lovely team of owners involved including Jim Aitken from Rangiora who never misses a single race, no matter what time they are broadcast. We know Jim would have been up with the lamps burning at 2.20am this morning!
Ridden by Champion Singapore rider Manuel Nunes, the 4YO son of Tavistock settled just slightly worse than midfield and a patient ride was rewarded as they turned for home. Storm Trooper set sail to win by a comfortable 1.3 length margin in 1.35.75 in the Class 4 1600m on the short course E (turf).
Bought by David Ellis from the 2013 Karaka Select sale for $70,000, Storm Trooper has now raced 17 times for three wins and eight other placings. With the thick end of Friday's S$60,000 prize purse, he has now won close to S$150,000 in those 17 appearances.
Friday's meeting at Kranji saw Mark Walker climb to 43 wins for the season - he currently lies in second place on the Trainer's Premiership - also with 52 second and 56 third placings - and almost S$2.6 million in prize money won for our owners in just seven and a half months.
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RACE 9 - click this link below to view[/caption]
Main picture - Storm Trooper as a yearling