Big Union keeps winning form

He was everybody’s choice at the races on June 9 and he delivered the goods, winning his race in a canter.

Yes, Big Union made loads of fans when he opened his Kranji account in that Restricted Maiden race over the sharp 1,100m sprint.

And, you can bet, they will form a snaking queue at the betting windows on June 22 when their new-found friend attempts to make it a race-to-race double in a very competitive Class 4 race over 1,200m.

They, too, will know that it is going to be Big Union’s first time racing in open company.

But do you think it will bother them? Not one bit. You see, they are still too bedazzled by what they saw when Big Union tore through the opposition in that last-start runaway win.

And they will remember his work on the morning of June 18 when, with Bernardo Pinheiro in the saddle, he cantered before picking up some speed to run the 600m in 43.4sec.

Granted, it was a slow time but, hey, it was a training gallop and he was not out to break any sprint record.

Yes, Big Union is still a work in progress and trainer Jerome Tan would have instructed Pinheiro to hold him in check and do just what was necessary to keep him in racing form.

As for the Brazilian hoop, he knows that horse, having ridden him when he won a trial on May 2 and, after that, the slashing victory not so long ago.

Yes, by the looks of things, Big Union is a big deal and, while that Class 4 race coming up is not going to be a walk in the park, this three-year-old son of Zoustar should be up to the task.

Another galloper who will attract plenty of attention on June 22 will be June.

This macho bloke with a filly-sounding name – which also represents the sixth calendar month – was another smart worker on June 18.

Taken out by Australian jockey Daniel Moor, the three-year-old son of Trapeze Artist travelled well all the way to cover the 600m in an easy 42.2.

Prepared for the races by Tim Fitzsimmons, June attracted huge support at his sixth race start on Feb 24.

That day, in a 1,400m race on grass, June came home with a well-timed run to beat Supreme Liner by a neck.

Manoel Nunes was the man in the saddle and, while the winning margin was small, the run – especially over the closing stages – was huge. That win was in a Restricted Maiden race, after which June had three failed outings in open company.

In fairness, though, two of those races were high-class events – the Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic on April 27 and the highly competitive Singapore Guineas on May 18.

That last one provided us with a barometer of sorts as to how June would fare over the longer trips – like the 2,000m he has to cover on June 22.

While there might be some doubting Thomases out there, the feeling – after seeing how June flew home to finish fourth over 1,600m – has been positive.

And that piece of work on June 18 will surely add to that optimism, especially with June shouldering only 51kg on race day.

On June 22, it may also pay to keep an eye on Boardroom.

One of trainer Ricardo Le Grange’s many up-and-coming youngsters, the three-year-old was also out on the training track where he loosened up with some cantering before picking up the tempo to clock 40.3 for the 600m.

A ghostly-looking grey by Justify, Boardroom had three trials beginning in October, 2023, before Le Grange sent him to the races.

There, on his debut in a 1,200m turf sprint on Feb 11, he finished fourth to Fire.

Three runs later on March 30, in a Maiden 1,400m turf contest, he ran fourth to Citygold Lightning after receiving a check close home.

But he brushed aside that bit of misfortune and put things right at his very next start on April 21.

With Pinheiro astride, he made every post a winning one, leading all the way to score over 1,600m on turf and leave the Maiden ranks.

The horse he beat was Supreme Liner, who had lost to June on Feb 24 in a 1,400m turf race.

Boardroom has a Novice event over 1,400m coming up and it looks like a winnable sort of race for this youngster, who has to contend with only six rivals.

brian@sph.com.sg