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Singapore champion jockey Vlad Duric drove Bold Thruster to a tough win in the $100,000 Flying Fulton 2012 Stakes, Class 1 race over 1100m.

The Australian ace was bringing up a third win after Golden Dash and Paletas saluted earlier, before the final day of the 2019 racing calendar got even better with a fourth win in the highlight of the meeting, courtesy of Pennywise in the $175,000 Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes over 1600m (see other report).

The feat saw Duric clinch a third consecutive Singapore champion jockey title on 88 winners, a whopping 19 winners clear of Benny Woodworth who took the runner-up spot on 69 winners (two wins on Watch Out Boss and Salamence on Sunday) while third-placed Michael Rodd took home 64 winners.

As Duric had scored a hat-trick of wins aboard Gold Kingdom, Well Deserved and Siam Royal Orchid on Friday night, he was ending the season with a flourish - a bumper haul of seven wins. 

"It's been a wonderful year. I surpassed my previous best (83 winners in 2017 and 73 winners last year) and I'm really pleased about that," said the affable jockey.

"But I wouldn't have done that without all the support. My wife and my kids have been wonderful to me.

"I'm also very lucky that I get a wide range of support from all the trainers and owners. It's been a really good year and I am extremely grateful and appreciative of all the opportunities that I get."

One trainer who has struck a great chemistry with Duric is Clements. The Zimbabwean-born handler bagged four wins over the weekend, with three (Siam Royal Orchid, Paletas and Bold Thruster ) coming under Duric, while Resolution took the $30,000 Order Of The Sun 2013 Stakes, Class 5 Division 2 race with jockey Ben Thompson for a fitting farewell win for the latter in Singapore.

Almost in the same breath as his last-gasp win aboard newcomer Paletas last-gasp win over favourite Healthy Star (Ruan Maia) in the $75,000 Best Tothelign 2015 Stakes, a Restricted Maiden Race Division 1 race over 1000m earlier, Duric stuck to the same pattern with Bold Thruster.

Not only was the four-year-old son of Turffontein at his first win for Clements and on the Polytrack, but he also broke the previous class record set by Skywalk at his last start by 0.08 seconds.

The Tivic Stable-owned Bold Thruster actually gave his supporters a bit of a scare when he looked unsettled just before the start of the race, but Duric got it all under control as he settled the $8-favourite on the rails behind early leaders Marine Treasure (A'Isisuhairi Kasim), Augustano (Beau Mertens), Skywalk (Daniel Moor) and Nowyousee (Wong Chin Chuen).

At the 350m, Skywalk and Nowyousee drew clear as Marine Treasure floundered while Bold Thruster was giving chase after he was switched to the outside.

As Duric threw everything at his mount, Bold Thruster stuck on gamely to go and defeat Skywalk by a neck, while Nowyousee finished third another one-and-a-quarter lengths away.

The new Class record for the 1100m on the Polytrack is 1min 4.01secs.

Clements, who turns 54 on Sunday, was glad to see the talented black gelding win for the first time at his fourth start under his care.

"He's a horse with a lot of abilities, but he's had a few difficult runs for us," said Clements, who seals the season with 65 wins, eight winners behind this year's eventual champion trainer Mark Walker (73 wins).

"He's slow out of the barriers, but he came out a lot better today. We've done a lot of hard work on him to get him to come out of the barriers.

"I have a lot of confidence in this horse but there were indeed a few anxious moments this time.

"Still, he has had a couple of really good runs for us. He ran second in the (Group 2) Merlion Trophy (to Countofmontecristo) which was pretty unlucky, but he's got a bright future and it's good to get the win.

"We have always felt that he was a horse that would get seven furlongs. He's very fast, and there's definitely options going forward with him."

Duric, who was jumping on Bold Thruster for the first time, said it was all up in his mount's head, but as long as he jumps on terms, he would give it his all.

"He's got a mind of his own. He's a funny horse," said Duric.

"He can rear up, and when the boys get on his tail, he can go down under the front as well, and that was sort of what he did before the start of the race and stirred a couple of the other horses up.

"He broke just fairly and I had in the back of my mind that I wasn't going to dig him too much.

"If he didn't miss that kick, I would take that chance and just ride the race on him. It paid off."

With seven wins and three seconds in 13 starts, Bold Thruster has now raked in over $610,000 in prizemoney for connections.