3 minute read
That could well have been the expression of astonishment blurted out by local racegoers when the horse cleverly named after the popular Singlish interjection scored from pillar to post on Sunday.
Alamak , which can be loosely translated as “heck” in English, has never shown the way at his previous 12 outings. At his only win in Restricted Maiden company last June, the Alamosa four-year-old came off a handy spot to open his account.
Trainer Michael Clements revealed it wasn’t actually the plan to lead in the $50,000 Class 4 race over 2000m, and certainly not at the pedestrian pace first-time partner A’Isisuhairi Kasim had him lobbing along under him down the backstraight.
But with none of his 12 rivals (Lim’s Ripple was a late scratching) keen to lead, Alamak found himself landing in the unfamiliar role, and proceeded to make a good fist of it.
It got even better for the $20 chance. As the pace was throttled down to a walk, there was still nobody who seemed in a hurry to wake up from their inertia at the back.
The former two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey could not have asked for more. As he slipped some reins down the hill, it soon became clear his pursuers have been caught napping.
Upon straightening up, Alamak shot clear, and though Gold City (Michael Rodd) and Mr Dujardin (Glen Boss) shortened up the margin, they were never going to trouble the winner who eventually had one length to spare on the runner-up Gold City with Mr Dujardin third another length away.
The winning time was a sleep-inducing 2mins 4.45secs, almost five and a half seconds slower than Dan Excel’s course record.
Winners are grinners, and Clements said Alamak deserved to put a second win on the board after being frustratingly unlucky of late.
“He was up in distance and was well drawn (two). It wasn’t the plan to lead, but I did tell Harry to be careful,” said the Zimbabwean-born trainer.
“I told him to sit handy, but if there was no pace, horses can come back on him. He had a lot of bad luck like this before when horses slowed up on him.
“But Harry rode him good. He had plenty of horse underneath him, he sat and waited and it’s paid off.
“He’s a horse who’s waited for a distance. Like I said, he’s not had things go his way: He got held up many times.
“Today, he got in front with plenty of daylight, set his own pace and he loved it.”
A’Isisuhairi for one felt like saying ‘Alamak’ at the half-mile point.
“I thought it was a false start. I couldn’t believe how we were left alone – he was cantering down the back,” said the Kelantan-born and New Zealand-trained jockey.
“Mike told me he was unlucky and should have run better at his last starts. He just told me to get him out of trouble today.
“He said if he begins well to just leave him up there. The slow pace suited him just nice, there was absolutely no pressure.
“It was a well-deserved win.”
Alamak’s second win from 13 starts was greeted by a happy bunch of owners under the Amazing Stable who have now collected in excess of $95,000 in stakes money, courtesy also of his two seconds and two thirds.
