3 minute read
When Ben Thompson jumped off that promising Reset three-year-old chestnut after a close second in a midweek race in Caulfield last October, little did he know the next time he would jump back on, it would be in a Group 1 race more than a year later, and overseas.
That race is the $1 million Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) at Kranji next Sunday week, and the horse in question is Real Success.
At the time, Real Success was prepared by the Lucky Stable's Australian trainer Matt Laurie. Thompson was the one who rode him at his first three runs.
It's not surprising the young Victorian jockey, who commenced his one-year Singapore Turf Club licence in January, remembers him when he ended up with trainer Michael Clements earlier this year.
Thompson was not linked back up at Real Success's six starts that produced a handy record of three wins (all with champion jockey Vlad Duric up) and one second, but with the Singapore Gold Cup being a handicap race, the pair have finally come full circle in the race long earmarked by Clements as his grand final this year.
Thompson, who already boasts three Group wins in around a year spent at Kranji, including the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m) aboard Mister Yeoh at his very first cameo visit on November 9 last year, was excited to be reunited with a horse he held in fairly high regard back home.
"I rode Real Success three times for one win (Geelong over 1325m) and two seconds when he was trained by Matt Laurie for the Lucky Stable back home," said Thompson.
"I did tell 'Chopsy' (Clements' assistant-trainer Michael White) about it, and I guess he remembered that when he needed a lightweight jockey to ride him in the Gold Cup.
"He'll be on 50.5kgs, which is not as good as 51kgs, but better than 50kgs. He's very well weighted and I know he ran up to 2040m at Moonee Valley (seventh in the Group 2 Vase), so he'll run a strong 2000m here.
"I've been following him since he's been racing here, and I'm really thankful to be back on him. I haven't sat on his back yet; when I rode him, he was a three-year-old, and he is much bigger and stronger now.
"He's more mature and has more stamina now while last time he had more of a sprint. Now, he will stick on and stay there.
"He's a very nice forward type of racehorse. It's a wide open Gold Cup this year and the light weight brings us in with a bit of a chance."
Thompson returns this weekend from a three-day ban for careless riding aboard River Happiness in a race on October 4. With a book of 11 rides over Friday (five) and Sunday (six), he'll be happy to shake his enforced holiday blues, with Atlas and Pennywise arguably his best chances.
In between, Thompson will have no time for a breather either. He flies after the last booking on Friday night to ride at the Victoria Derby meeting at Flemington on Saturday, even if there is a high chance the only ride he will get to take is that of the plane kind.
"I had two rides on Derby day, but I had to give the first one a miss as it was in the first race. I would be in Melbourne but wouldn't have reached the track in time," he said.
"And the second one is a second emergency, Admiral's Joker (for Kylie Vella) in the Group 1 Kennedy Cantala (1600m). So, I may end up not riding at all!"
The 22-year-old rider is a regular frequent flyer who doesn't seem to mind chalking up the miles for the big meetings in Australia. Four weeks ago, he flew to Sydney for just the one ride in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap, Nettoyer, who finished sixth to Kolding, ridden by former Kranji jockey Glen Boss.
The Kennedy Mile or Cantala Stakes, as it is popularly known, will be his sixth such flying visit since he began his Singapore one-year licence in January.
