Singapore Sunday Double

Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker may have landed back in New Zealand in the early hours of Sunday morning for a brief stay but our Singapore team continued to turn out the winners at Kranji.

The successful weekend concluded with two more Te Akau Singapore winners saluting the judge and a raft of minor placegetters also taking home cheques for their connections - Regal Salute who was second, Prosperity Star third and both Golden Sand Steed and Super Zucca in fourth.

The first to land in the winner's circle was the O'Reilly gelding Vitalico - the 8YO was having start number 62 and recorded his career sixth win.  Raced by the Remarkable Stable, he has also had 25 other first four placings for stakes' earnings of $265,601.

Ridden by gun Australian rider Corey Brown, Vitalico jumped well and settled on the pace, shadowing the leader - he cruised home easily under Brown's urgings for an easy, almost two length victory in the S$35,000 Class 5 1600m.

It was a slightly different story for Star Rainbow however in the S$35,000 Maiden 1200m!  After racing midfield, just as the One Cool Cat gelding went up to win for Te Akau apprentice Shafiq Rusof, the leader veered out sharply right into the path of Star Rainbow.  Straight into the inquiry room - and the result as expected - a win for the 4YO as a result of the inquiry and season win number 72 for Mark Walker.   Bought by David Ellis from the Karaka Select Sale,  Star Rainbow has now raced 12 times for stakes' earnings of $51,052.

Mark now lies in second place on the Trainers' Premiership, four in arrears of Laurie Laxon - a Kiwi quinella.