Win 51 for Te Akau Singapore's Mark Walker

On Friday night, Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker notched up his 'half century' for the season at Kranji - and he continued that leading form when Sacred Rebel made it win 51 for the stable for the year - with Mark Walker trained runners finishing first, third and fourth ... the Singapore Turf Club reports ...

Champion trainer Mark Walker may well back Polytrack specialist Sacred Rebel up next week after the smart gelding brought up his fourth Kranji win in the $85,000 Mr Big 2013 Stakes, a Class 2 race over 1000m on Sunday.

The Sepoy four-year-old was at his seventh start, six weeks after scoring in a Class 2 race over 1100m at his last start. Two of his three defeats were recorded at his only tries on turf.

Walker is aiming Sacred Rebel at the Group 2 Merlion Trophy (1200m), arguably the championship for all-weather speed squibs in Singapore. The former Polytrack Leg of the now discontinued Singapore Sprint Series is due on August 25.

But Sacred Rebel's massive build has had the Kiwi handler thinking he may tentatively need one more run under the belt before that main assignment - one as quickly as next Sunday.

“I told Benny not to win by too far as we may back him up next Sunday. There is a Class 1 race over 1100m I may run him in, as long as he pulls up okay,” said Walker. 

“He's such a big gross horse, a big lump of a lad, that I think we need to back him up next week. The Merlion Trophy is too far away for him not to have a run in between.

“I had enough confidence he would run well today, He's such a big horse he was able to barge his way through. 

“I may run him on turf again one day, but he's so shouldery once he gets off the turns. Polytrack is more his go.

“Well done to Dato Yap (Kim San) who also won the Macau Derby yesterday (Sacred Capital trained by Joe Lau and ridden by Peter Ho).”

Walker could have gained the quinella in the Mr Big 2013 Stakes when Elite Power (Zawari Razali) joined the fray at the 200m, and even headed race-leader Darc Bounty (Amirul Ismadi), but Stephen Gray's galloper came back to secure second place half-a-length off Sacred Rebel with Elite Power settling for third place another three parts of a length away.

The winning time was 58.97 seconds for the 1000m on the Polytrack.

Woodworth said he had a perfect run right through in the box-seat, and will leave it to the trainer to decide on Sacred Rebel's path towards his first stab at Group glory.

“I had a great run from barrier one. He was too good when he quickened up,” said the in-form Malaysian rider.

“If Mark says he's backing him up next week, I'll leave that to him to decide, he's the trainer. I'll only be too happy to ride wherever he races.”

With that fourth win, Sacred Rebel has now amassed in excess of $170,000 in stakes earnings for the Raffles Racing Stable of Dato Yap.

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