Axel Lands Maiden Win

A son of Darci Brahma, purchased by David Ellis for $55,000 at the NZB Ready to Run Sale - and raced by long-time stable supporters Gavin and Shane Wealleans and friends - saluted the judge at Kranji over the weekend ...

The 3YO has now won almost $89,000 from his 10 starts.

The Singapore Turf Club reports:

Champion jockey Vlad Duric showed yet again that he sure knows where the winning post is with another inch-perfect winning ride on Friday night.

In a driving finish to the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200m, the powerful Australian rider brought $49 shot Axel with a well-timed run to blouse Gamely (Juan Paul van der Merwe) out by a nose with Easy South East (Ben Thompson) third another half-length away.

Specked a little in the market at $49, Axel, who was registering his first win in Singapore, clocked 1min 12.78secs for the 1200m on the Polytrack.

Prepared by Mark Walker for his main patron Te Akau Racing Stable, Axel, a three-year-old by Darci Brahma, has had nine runs prior to Friday's with his closing runs at his last three or four starts a clear indication he was coming to hand.

Duric, who rode him to a fast-finishing fifth in a 1100m race for Restricted Maidens one month ago, was armed with the same patience after electing for a rearward berth as odds-on favourite ($6) and debutant In The Black (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) showed the way.

As the field wheeled around the home turn, warning signs that backers of In The Black would soon be in the red instead were evident. The strides of the David Hill-trained US-bred were shortening up noticeably with Easy East South the first to race past at the 300m. 

But after stalking up In The Black from the start, the James Peters-trained son of former two-time Singapore Horse of the Year Super Easy was soon left a sitting duck as well.

On the inside, Gamely snuck up with a potent turn of foot, looking on the cusp of finally getting the monkey off his back, but on the outside, Axel lunged late to settle the issue in the nick of time.

“He ran on really well in a 1100m race last time, and I told Mark the extra 100m would suit him,” said Duric, who has now extended his lead in the jockey's championship to three winners (20 against Noh Senari's 17).

“We've kept him fresh for this race. I was mindful of the favourite but it's a long way around first-up over 1200m on Polytrack, and I was hoping he would get tired. 

“The pace was pretty strong and I was comfortable where I was. He came back nicely underneath me.

“In the straight, he ran on well and got there at the right time. I think he will get seven furlongs.”

Assistant-trainer Gus Clutterbuck said the two-time Singapore champion jockey was riding with renewed efficiency, especially with the left hand.

“Vlad has been riding really well with the left hand for some reason. It seems to be helping the horses,” said the Kiwi horseman.

“It was a nice Restricted Maiden race and the prizemoney is good for the owners. I wasn't too sure if Axel had won on the line, but I'm glad the photo finish went our way.”

A two-time trial winner at Kranji, In The Black unfortunately did not reproduce the same form come raceday, fading badly to finish last around 25 lengths off the winner, and has been impounded for further investigation.

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