3 minute read

Judges could not split War Pride and Kimitonara after they came out tops in a stirring four-cornered fight in Friday’s $75,000 Novice race over 1400m.

The better-fancied ($8) War Pride  (John Powell) took the first run after coming from a one-out one-back spot. Kimitonara (Vlad Duric, $10) had to battle a bit harder to work his way through, but when he did, he launched to finish locked together with War Pride.

Also part of the late onslaught were You Qian Zhuan  (John Sundradas) and favourite Shanti  (Alysha Collett), who also lunged in the same stride across the line, but were both beaten a head in third and fourth place respectively.

The dead-heaters, who are both three and were venturing over seven furlongs for the first time, clocked 1min 22.64secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.

While War Pride was making it back-to-back wins after breaking his maiden status in a Restricted Maiden race over 1200m two weeks ago, Kimitonara was returning to winning ways after five months.

As is the case for such joint victories, punters would probably feel the most hard done by with their halved payouts, while connections couldn't complain. A win is a win (in Singapore it is not recorded as a ½ win like in Australia) even if deep down, nobody would begrudge them if they would rather stand alone at the winner's box.

"I thought he would run third of fourth as there wasn't a lot of room for him. He's still very green," said owner-trainer Steven Burridge (pictured above) of Kimitonara, a son of Star Witness.

"He's done a good job, even if we wished it was an outright win. He put his head down and toughed it out, a dead-heat is better than running second.

"He's done a good job over the Long Course tonight. He will get the mile, and I think he's still Class 4 material.

"He's still inexperienced, although at his last run, I really thought he could beat Mr Malek on weights, but he's a very good horse, Mr Malek."

Singaporean trainer Jason Ong and Powell also found a lot of merit in War Pride's performance, especially after coming off only two weeks in between runs.

"He's a tough little horse, I had no doubt over the distance," said Ong who trains War Pride for his father Ong Boon Hin of Warplan Racing Stable.

"I actually thought it might be too short, but I spoke to JP and he told me he was a professional horse and we took that option, and it's worked out good.

"JP gave him a 10-out-of-10 ride."

Powell said there was still more upside to come out of the son of Tavistock.

"I thought we got beat by a short head, but dead-heat is better than second," said the in-form Australian jockey.

"It was a great effort as he was backing up in two weeks, and he is still a young horse going forward."

Duric, who was returning in the saddle after missing last meeting (March 7) on medical advice, went on to seal a riding double with odds-on favourite ($6) Sacred Gift in the last race, the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1000m.

"JP rode a smart race by sitting outside me," said the three-time Singapore champion jockey.

"My horse went through runners, that's the way to ride him. We were lucky to win.

"He's very immature, but he's still a nice horse."

Kimitonara was registering his second win in six starts that also yielded three placings for prizemoney that has now exceeded the $90,000 mark, while War Pride is just a touch behind in terms of earnings on $83,000, courtesy of his record of two wins and one second from five outings.

Interestingly, in together at the photo finish, Ong and Burridge are also level on the log. Both handlers were taking their 2020 score to nine wins with that shared victory, with Ong just edging in front on a countback for seconds.