Eyes are Smiling

Second-last and last in the early running, Smileswithhiseyes and Riedel stayed in that order at the conclusion of the $80,000 Kranji Stakes C race (1700m) on Friday night, but at the better end of the race to hand Te Akau Singapoe trainer Mark Walker a stable quinella.

Bowie Knife (David Flores) and Great Light (Sam Subian) made the early running while the Walker pair brought up the rear about 12 lengths adrift from the back.

The action got into high gear from the 800m mark with Smileswithhiseyes (Manoel Nunes), the $14 favourite circling out the widest in a bid to take closer order while Riedel (Shafiq Rizuan) was patiently waiting for a gap to appear, closer to the plastic.

Smileswithhiseyes (Manoel Nunes, red cap) just gets in front of Riedel (Shafiq Rizuan) who can just be seen on the inside to win Race 7 on Friday.

Rounding the home turn, the 12-horse spread across the track with Board Walk (Barend Vorster) looking the most threatening after coming under the pump plotting a three-wide path for most of the 1700m journey on the Polytrack.

But Smileswithhiseyes suddenly sprouted wings 300m out to sweep past Board Walk, looking a moral to get the thicker end of the prize, but his stablemate Riedel was the one who could deal him a sucker punch as he snuck up on the inside, not without causing Board Walk to take a check at the 100m.

Smileswithhiseyes' storming run was coming to an end too but the winning post came to his rescue, as the Irish-bred four-year-old by Marju fell in by a nose from a valiant Riedel. Despite the late brush, Board Walk did well to hold on for third place, another 1 ¾ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 46.72secs.

Walker, who could make his way to the Champagne Room before the judge gave his verdict, was above all pleased he had trained another winner for the Lucky Stable.

“It's nice to have another winner for Mr Robert Ng who has been racing a lot more horses of late. They are famous colours and it's nice to see them back winning races in Singapore,” said Walker, who besides Smileswithhiseyes, also prepares Claim and Prince Mag, also horses hailing from the Emerald Isles.

“There was good speed on in the race and that helped my two horses who were at the back.  It looked like the winner shortened up late, but actually, it was because he had to finish the widest while the other horse (Riedel) had an easier run on the inside.”

Following his first Kranji win about six weeks ago, and which was also recorded over 1700m on the Polytrack, Smileswithhiseyes was at his second local success from only six runs, while he was a two-time winner back in England, over 1600m on the All-Weather at Kempton Park, a proof of his proclivity towards synthetic surfaces.

Nunes looked relieved he was able to scrape home as he really thought he would be nabbed on the line.

“At the top of the straight, I thought I would go back five lengths,” said the Brazilian jockey.

“He was running on good but he was so wide that in the end he got tired. I think he's more of a miler and he probably nearly got found out over this trip.”

Credit - Singapore Turf Club