3 minute read
Maximilian’s win in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 2 (Polytrack 1600m) on Sunday might not have got scribes rushing to their notebooks, but it still sealed two mini milestones of sorts.
Racing formerly as Clarton Star, the Highly Recommended six-year-old propelled three-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker to the top of the heap for the first time this year.
After trailing reigning champion trainer Michael Clements in second place for a while, the New Zealander has seen his season noticeably gain traction in the last couple of months while Clements' had, on the other hand, slowed up a fraction.
With the momentum swapping sides and Walker sending out a squad of 13 runners as opposed to his arch-rival's five runners on Sunday, a changing of the guard at the top looked on the cards, but even if he was back in a familiar position breathing rarefied air, Walker was not making a song and dance about it.
"If it happens, it happens, I certainly wouldn't be losing sleep over it if it didn't," said Walker.
If anything, he actually perked up a touch more about the spinoff feat – a first victorious combination with French jockey Marc Lerner.
"I've put Marc on a few rides (most notably, Mr Clint), we've had a few placings, but it's great to finally get our first winner together," he said.
"I try to get him on horses that suit him. He likes those staying horses and he's such a strong vigorous rider."
Walker said his horses were fit and well, which is what any trainer can only hope for, but it all can come to nought on a track that works against them, especially ahead of this Sunday's all-weather card.
"I was unsure how the Polytrack would play out today just after it was worked on last week," said Walker.
"In the first race, the winner (Master Player) was among the front runners, but my horse (Maximilian) was dead last.
"So it looks like it's playing fair, it probably suggests the waxing level is complete."
From the spot Maximilian ($56) settled in during the race, ahead of only one runner – Giant Killing (Yusoff Fadzli) for most of the mile journey – Walker could only pray that the track would be even when the chips are down.
Maximilian still looked a forlorn hope at the top of the straight with old stager Mings Man (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) collaring race-leader Oud Wood (Danny Beasley) at the head of affairs around eight lengths clear, but the racing complexion was turned on its head when he suddenly charged home down the outside to go and post a soft 1 ½-length win from Angel Halo (Oscar Chavez).
Roman Classic (Juan Paul van der Merwe) took third place another short head away, just blousing Oud Wood out by the same margin.
Maximilian ran the 1600m on Polytrack in 1min 39.29secs, and has now taken his record to three wins and 11 placings from 39 starts and more than $100,000 in stakes for Walker's in-house syndication, the Remarkable Stable.
