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After slipping under the radar for a while, Time Lord revelled in the wet conditions at Kranji to return to winning ways on Saturday.
Delayed by 15 minutes due to a lightning alert in the northern part of Singapore, the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1800m was run under a steady shower, but not one which impaired visibility.
One of the seven runners who was evidently not averse to such weather and track was the Mark Walker-trained Time Lord. The two-time winner by Guillotine has seen his form taper off of late, save perhaps for his closing third two starts back in a similar Class 3 race over 1800m, but he was suddenly back on song on Saturday, aided in part by an inspired ride from South African jockey Juan Paul van der Merwe.
Ridden positive from the get-go, Time Lord had to, however, trade leads with Irish-bred stayer Buddy Buddy (Ruan Maia) on three occasions before resolutely clinging on to it when it mattered.
The swoopers spread across the track as they issued their bids inside the last 300m, but Time Lord fought on, outstaying them rather comfortably in the end. Buddy Buddy ran second 1 ¾ lengths away with Augustus (John Powell) third another half-length away.
Sent out at generous odds of $112, Time Lord clocked 1min 52.22secs for the 1800m on the Long Course.
Time Lord last saluted on June 1, 2019 when he took out a Class 3 race over 1400m, but Walker revealed his racing career was interrupted by respiratory issues.
"He was quite a good horse, but he had a wind op," said the three-time Singapore champion trainer.
"It was a brilliant ride by JP today. He judged the speed and summed it up very well, he gave the horse a soft lead.
"Because of the wind op, this horse remains a day-to-day proposition. I may give him a freshen-up after today's run."
Walker said Time Lord's win was an extra bonus to his owner Matthew Goodson after winning the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) with the Tony Pike-trained and Michael Walker-ridden Sherwood Forest at Ellerslie last Sunday.
"It's great for Matt as he won the New Zealand Derby last week. Matt owns the winner (Sherwood Forest) with a group of owners," said Walker.
Van der Merwe said Walker's bullishness when the heavens opened rubbed off on him as he headed out to the pens.
"Mark was very confident before the race. He said the horse loves the wet," said van der Merwe who was returning from a three-day careless riding ban.
"When he broke well, I just let him go to the front. Maia did come around, but when he tried to slow up the pace, I let my horse roll forward again.
"I just wanted him to be in front so he can do his own things. He travelled so well, and I could feel something underneath me – for once."
Time Lord's record now reads three wins and two thirds from 15 starts for prizemoney that has now hit around the $126,000 mark for Goodson.
