It's a GROUP 3 in Singapore

Could the past 24 hours get any better?  

Five wins for Te Akau in New Zealand on Saturday including our second stakes' win of the NZ season, the $70,000 Listed Armadillo Stakes at Riccarton and the Guineas' trial at Trentham.

Then on Sunday, Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker claimed the S$150,000 Group 3 El Dorado Classic with Sebrose, a 5YO bought by David Ellis from the Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast.  This sale has been hugely successful with the likes of Group 1 winners and performers Integrate, Princess Coup,  Tell A Tale and Costa Viva all purchased by David from that same sale.

The Saturday New Zealand success shot Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards to the top of the Trainers' Premiership standings.

Of course in Singapore, Mark Walker has led the Trainers' Premiership all season and we are hoping that his eight win margin will be sufficient to see him home - he certainly deserves that success.

Here is how the Singapore Turf Club reported the victory:

New jockey Timothy Bell has not taken too long to earn his first silverware in Singapore after he won the $150,000 Group 3 El Dorado Classic (2200m) with promising stayer Sebrose on Sunday.

Already a winner of around 20 Group races in Australia, the 2013-2014 Brisbane champion jockey rated the Mark Walker-trained gelding to perfection in the traditional lead-up race to the Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) which will be run on 15 November this year, biding his time at the rear before punching through the pack at the 200m to nail runaway leader Order Of The Sun (Benny Woodworth).

Bell, who is licensed till the end of the year and has now already bagged four wins since his Kranji debut on 9 October, was given high praise by Walker for having devised a battle plan pretty much all by himself, even though he has never sat on the previous four-time winner by Sebrin

Sebrose (Timothy Bell, on the outside) comes from behind to race past Order Of The Sun (Benny Woodworth)

The 22-year-old played down his contribution in the win, saying he does his homework whether it is a Class 5 race or a Group race.

“I've been here for a month now. As I didn't know any of the horses, I've had a lot of time to focus on them and watch their races closely and do my homework, on all my rides actually, not just the big races,” said the New South Wales-born jockey.

“I think it makes my job a lot easier when I get to know them in depth. Whether my plan works or not, it doesn't matter as sometimes, it all comes down to how comfortable my horse is.

“Today, the horse in front went quite hard but my horse was always comfortable at the back. I was confident I could still pick him up and it was a dominant win in the end. Credit to the staff and thank you to Mr Walker for giving me the ride.

“Sometimes, the race won't suit you, but you must ride your horse to suit him. He had a lovely run throughout and having 50kg and riding him over at 51.5kg is also one of my assets.

“I can't thank the trainers and owners enough for their support from Day 1 and for giving me the opportunity. It's a nice feeling to win my first feature race here so early and I hope it will be the first of many.”

Bell, whose biggest win came aboard Tinto in last year's Group 1 Queensland Oaks, is now hoping the El Dorado Classic success can pave the way to a much bigger prize in three weeks' time, the Gold Cup.

There was certainly plenty of merit in the way Sebrose reeled in Order Of The Sun inside the last 100m, especially as the Desmond Koh-trained galloper had all along travelled on a loose rein, even when he had broken away to a massive lead down the back.

Winning jockey Timothy Bell and trainer Mark Walker beam for the camera after Sebrose took out the El Dorado Classic.

The chase did get underway from the 800m but Cooptado (John Powell), Twickenham (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) or In Fact (Barend Vorster) were all battling in the ground and not cutting much of the margin on Order Of The Sun.

All but Sebrose, who all this while had crept up along the rails, not going around any horse before pouncing on the outside of Twickenham at the 200m to quickly gather in Order Of The Sun and coast home for a soft win.

Raced by the Te Akau Racing Stable, Sebrose crossed the line first by one length to spare from Order Of The Sun. The hard-luck story had to be $19 favourite Mr Spielberg (Manoel Nunes) who got buffeted between runners at the 300m, but still charged home well for third another 1 ¼ lengths away. The winning time was 2min 14.91secs for the 2200m on the Long Course.

Sebrose's El Dorado Classic win incidentally broke a long run of outs for Walker in feature races. Though he currently leads on the Singapore trainer's premiership, the Kiwi handler has not had much luck in Cup races, having last tasted Group glory with War Affair in the Group 3 Magic Millions 2013 More Magic 3YO Championship just over two years ago.

Incidentally, the Te Akau Stable's tangerine and blue stars silks were also back in the limelight since Flying Fulton's heyday between 2011 and 2013 when he captured five Group races.

“Tim had a plan and he's done his homework,” said Walker. “The horse punched a few breaks in the race and we were lucky we had a clear run to the post.

“I guess we can be assured of a place in the Gold Cup now. I told the owner if it rains he will be a chance.

“Well done to David Ellis who I think has 12 individual owners on this horse. It will be exciting for them if they all come down here for the Gold Cup.” 

Sebrose has now brought his record to five wins and seven placings from 16 starts for stakes earnings past the $320,000 mark for the Te Akau Racing Stable.