Q for Quality

The weekend started very well for Te Akau Racing in New Zealand with Highly Likely overcoming some patchy form of his last preparation to win convincingly at Te Rapa.

Te Akau NZ trainer Stephen Autridge was on course for Te Rapa duties as co-trainer Jamie Richards flew to Christchurch for today's racing commitments at Riccarton. Stephen was delighted with the form reversal for a horse that was being lined up as a future jumper - such as his aptitude seemed to be indicating.

Not to be outdone, Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker continued his winning ways as we have come to know so well.  In his drive to win his first Trainers' Premiership in Singapore (to add to his five in New Zealand) Friday's contributor to this quest was the recently arrived Q Nine Maxim.

The 4YO son of King of Roses was sent by his Kiwi connections to race in Singapore and they have already been well rewarded.  In his first three starts - which delivered a second on debut in early August, an unlucky eighth where nothing went right and then a last start fourth - he has collected $15,356 plus $2700 in starter incentives.

It looked like just a matter of time until the breakthrough came and it was a determined effort that drove the gelding home on Friday night by a narrow margin in the S$35,000 Maiden 1600m for The Ninth Stable.

There is nothing like 'Manuel Magic' and Nunes was at his strategic best again landing the horse in a handy position close to the action from the jump.  This win brings up Mark's 66th win for the season.

So 66 wins on the track, and now another from the stewards' room. Mark's tally has now been added to by Singapore Turf Club stewards with the news yesterday that Great Balls Offire failed a post race urine test on 1 May as well as a subsequent second test and has been formally disqualified.

This sees the Te Akau trained Deluge, who finished second, promoted to the winning spot - taking Mark's wins for the season to 67 - he is now seven wins clear of second placed Michael Freedman and 13 ahead of third placed, multiple Premiership winner Laurie Laxon - however as we know, the season is not yet complete!

We look forward to our Singapore team racing on Sunday but before that, good luck to our runners at Hastings, where Love Triangle and Scrutinize chase black type honours in effectively what looks very much 1000 and 2000 Guineas fields in the Group 3 Gold Trail and Group 2 Hawkes Bay Guineas.  Also at Riccarton where, amongst the team Risque steps out in the Guineas' Trial.