Mark 999 Not Out

Mark Walker stands on the cusp of a terrific milestone.  He has now trained a career tally of 999 winners and remains six wins clear on the Singapore Trainers' Premiership!

On Friday night, Hillbilly Bear became Mark's 998th winner when he took out the last at Kranji.  The weekend of success for Te Akau didn't stop there with a stable quinella on Sunday when Perfect Plan combined with Dr Octpous for a one/two finish as the Singapore Turf Club reports:

Perfect Plan made light of his wide draw, greenness and a history of shinsoreness to score his maiden win at his second start on Sunday.

Well ridden by jockey Corey Brown, the New Zealand-bred gelding by Captain Rio jumped smartly from his outermost alley in the 10-horse field of the $65,000 Initiation race over 1100m on Polytrack before taking a sit outside Gangnam Style (Troy See) with the rest of the field fairly well strung out.

Though still very gangly in his action, Perfect Plan ($20) kept up a solid gallop before taking up the lead upon straightening up, but started to drift out wide under pressure. Better-fancied (second favourite at $17) stablemate Dr Octopus (Manoel Nunes) looked like he could capitalise on that waywardness as he ran on strongly through the wide-open passage on the inside, but Perfect Plan had saved enough petrol in the reserve tank to hold on by one length.

Naomi (Mohd Suhaimi) ran third another 1 ¾ lengths away while Simpang (Oscar Chavez) who tailed off badly at the start, stormed home late to just miss third place by a nose. The winning time was 1min 5.93secs.

Winning trainer Mark Walker was certainly heartened by the way the Warplan Racing (who also races his top juvenile War Affair) owned gelding has opened his account after being beset by his leg issues.

“He's been shinsore a few times and that's why we've just been hanging out a bit with him,” said the Kiwi handler.

“He's still green, but he certainly has got some potential. He still needs more time as he's a big strong sort of a horse, which can be a problem for his shinsoreness.  He was drawn on the outside and still did a bit wrong, but he's got potential and won well in the end.”

Brown agreed that Perfect Plan has plenty of upsides going forward.

“I was told he was heavy on his shins. The more I tried to steer him in a straight line, the more he rolled out,” said Brown.

“In the home straight, he just kept drifting out wide. My arms were dead, I couldn't keep him straight anymore.  But he's got lots of upsides to him. He's only lightly-raced and once he puts it together, he'll be a much better horse.”

Prior to his maiden success, Perfect Plan had only one start under the belt, in a 1000m Initiation race last April when he ran fifth to Smart Samurai.

Favourite ($11) I-Scream Now (Soo Khoon Beng) had every chance, but faded badly in the home straight to finish last.