Bestseller bounces back in Committee’s Prize thriller
Le Grange’s yard star makes amends for Fortune Bowl run with second his G3 win
At his last start in the Group 3 Fortune Bowl on Feb 11, the 1,400m trip, an awkward alley and the handicap all worked against him.
Back to the drawing board one month later, the Dream Ahead four-year-old had, on paper, a better fighting chance in the $110,000 Group 3 Committee’s Prize.
For a start, the mile was more up the 2023 Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes (1,700m) winner’s alley.
With the Committee’s Prize a handicap feature without the mandatory 56kg slapped on the back of Group 2 or 3 winners like for the Fortune Bowl, he was gifted the luxury load of 50kg.
But, perhaps the best ally in his corner was marble one.
Unless first-time partner Carlos Henrique – one of the rare seasoned lightweight jockeys at Kranji who would not ride him overweight – fluffs his lines, he should enjoy a more ground-saving run on the rails this time.
The Brazilian jockey, who was at only his second Kranji meeting, but opened his account with Santino in the first race, turned in a textbook ride.
After a smart jump, Bestseller ($48) slid into the box-seat behind expected pacesetter Mr Black Back (Iskandar Rosman).
From there, Henrique just had to play his cards right, though things got a bit hairy when the gaps did not come instantly in the straight.
On his outside, Pacific Emperor (Vlad Duric) would not budge an iota, keeping him in an air-tight bubble on the rails.
Henrique’s patience was finally rewarded 300m out when Pacific Emperor rolled off, leaving just enough room for Le Grange’s game warrior to charge through.
The business end was still anyone’s race with usual suspects Street Of Dreams (Ronnie Stewart), Tiger Roar (Manoel Nunes) and Invincible Tycoon (Ryan Curatolo) mustering speed three abreast on the outside.
Right behind, $15 favourite Golden Monkey (Jaden Lloyd) was desperately looking for an opening.
But Bestseller’s two main assets were hard to outsmart, his postage-stamp load and a more economical run than most of the other swoopers.
He kept hitting the line hard to prevail in a thrilling blanket finish for his seventh win in 17 starts. The Steven Burridge pair of Street Of Dreams and Invincible Tycoon filled the minors a head and neck away respectively. The winning time was 1min 33.89sec for the 1,600m on the long course.
“Nothing went to plan in the Fortune Bowl. The distance didn’t suit, but he still came out in good form from that race,” said Le Grange.
“He just showed today how good he is. He’s only a small horse, but he was so unlucky in the three legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, running second in all three last year.
“Carlos rode him an absolute treat. He’s done his homework and watched the replays.
“Big thank you to (apprentice jockey) Rozlan (Nazam) who rides this horse every day. He knows him inside out.
“A massive thanks to (owners) Sandy and Karen Javier. They’re absolute gentlemen, they never put any pressure on me.”
Besides the stress that comes with feature contests, the South African trainer had also been feeling the heat of not having the best of starts in the 2024 season.
Before Bestseller coming through, he had only one win on the board, Strike Gold on Jan 14.
“I’ve had an up-and-down season. The horses are running well, but not winning,” he said.
“Today, that win more than made up for it. He’ll be going to the four-year-old races next.”
It would come as no surprise if Henrique, who had already given a glimpse of his ability with three placings – all for Le Grange – at his Kranji debut on March 2, holds down his job in the saddle.
“This doesn’t get any better. A Group 3 at my second meeting here, it’s a dream come true,” said the globetrotting jockey who boasts Group 1 wins in India and Bahrain on his CV.
“I watched his replays and I also galloped him on Monday. His track rider has already done a great job on him.
“I sat behind the leaders and he was always travelling well. But in the straight, Vlad was not giving me so much space.
“Luckily, it’s a long straight, and he showed that, inside or outside, no problem, he can go anywhere.
“He was brave enough to take a gap at the 200m, and was brave all the way to the line.”
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