3 minute read
Saturday’s second race was billed as a two-horse race between Brutus and Pattaya, but it was a third horse who came gatecrashing the party, newcomer You Qian Zhuan.
From the 400m mark of the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1100m, the race did seem to be going to script with even-money favourite Brutus (Benny Woodworth) having led cosily from barrier No 1 and Pattaya (Vlad Duric) sweeping out wide at the home turn to throw down the gauntlet.
But they had company. Unsighted at the rear in the first two-thirds of the race, You Qian Zhuan (John Sundradas, $39) suddenly loomed up as an unlikely party-pooper when he joined the two top picks at the 300m on the outside.
The US-bred three-year-old by unknown sire Paynter kept up his momentum to defeat Brutus by half-a-length with Pattaya in third place another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 6.18secs for the 1100m on the Polytrack.
Winning trainer Jason Lim said he had a silent hope his new ward raced by the Collect The Cash stable could win first-up.
"I bought him at Ocala in Florida in April. He was a striking colt back then and he won a breeze-up," said the second-year Singaporean trainer of his inaugural 2020 winner which loosely means "can make money" in Mandarin.
"I didn't know his sire, but I certainly liked the way he stretched out up the straight. I expected a good run from him today as he trialled very well on Tuesday (second to In All His Glory).
"He did very well. It was a very good result."
John jumped off with the smile of someone who was thrown a wildcard that turned out to be the ace in the pack.
"I've never ridden the horse before, but he's quite clearly a nice horse," said John (Lim's new partner Richard Lim - of no relation - is the one who rode him at the barrier trials).
"I tried to slot him in and get cover from the wide draw (nine), but we were caught wide. He started to improve from the back but was still very green and was looking around a lot.
"Benny's horse started to stop and that's when I knew I could catch him. Nice horse, I think he can get more ground."
Paynter (x Awesome Again) is a fifth-season American sire who does have stamina on his side, being a runner-up to Union Rags in the Belmont Stakes (2400m) in 2012.
