Third Te Akau Winner in Eight Hours

Yes Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker - fresh from his Trainers' Premiership win in 2015 has started the year exactly as he finished - with two wins already!  The first with a son of Darci Brahma!

The Singapore Turf Club reported ...

Recently-crowned Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker's premiership-winning form kept up the same momentum when he got off to a flier with Zac Gallant taking the first race of the new 2016 season on Friday.

Well ridden by Walker's apprentice jockey, Ng Choon Kiat, the $62 shot squeezed his way between runners inside the last 200m to go and gain the upperhand by three-quarter length from Flying Winner (Soo Khoon Beng) with favourite Super Joy (Oscar Chavez) third another three-quarter length away. The winning time was 59.89 seconds for the 1000m (Polytrack) journey of the $35,000 Welcome 2016 Stakes, a Class 5 event.

With Walker away in his native New Zealand, assistant-trainer Gus Clutterbuck was the one to lead in the yard's first 2016 winner - certainly a most auspicious way to launch their bid to equal or better their 2015 haul of 86 winners.

Zac Gallant (Ng Choon Kiat) charges home for victory in the opening race of 2016.

“Mark is enjoying a well-deserved break in New Zealand. I'm sure he will be pleased with this result, especially for the boy,” said Clutterbuck.

“The boss has given CK a good go and he has been doing the best he can. This win can only boost his confidence.”

The Singaporean rookie may have ridden only four winners at his maiden season last year, but he did show snippets of promise in his riding style, which was again evident in the way he navigated his way to victory.

“I know this horse quite well. He gave me my first win last year (July 24),” said Ng.

“He jumped well and he was neither too fast nor too slow, quite relaxed. I know he has a nice turn of foot and I tried to save the best for last. It got a bit tight in the home straight but there was enough room for me to go through, and he responded very well for a nice win.”

Zac Gallant, a six-year-old by Darci Brahma has now brought his record to two wins and 11 placings from 35 runs for stakes money in excess of $110,000 for the Zac Stable.