Flying Nemo makes it two from two

Trainer Desmond Koh has a really good one in Flying Nemo.

Small as he may be, weighing only 429kg, the three-year-old was most impressive in Race 10 at Kranji on Monday afternoon, winning in the style of a good thoroughbred.

Ridden by Simon Kok, Flying Nemo looked hopelessly lost, with so much to catch up, when Opunake took charge at the 250m mark.

But none could foresee his finishing burst.

Given rein by Kok, he went after the leader who looked home and hosed.

Gobbling up the ground, Flying Nemo quickly put Opunake to the sword and, in a flash, went on to win by three parts of a length.

It was two from two for the horse, two for the rider and two for the trainer.

Flying Nemo had won on debut in October. That day, he beat Italian Revolution by two lengths.

It was two for Koh, who sent out Exceed Natural to beat Fort Mustang by a neck in Race 4.

And it was two for Kok, who was the man in the saddle on Exceed Natural for that other late-burst victory in the day’s only 1,600m race.

Like it was with Flying Nemo, Exceed Natural also exhibited blistering speed. And to think he will be 10 years old in August.

For Kok, the wins must have been a well-received shot in the arm..

Indisposed for the first two days of the season, Exceed Natural was only his second ride for the year.

To have conjured up a double will surely boost his confidence.

The Chinese New Year meeting also proved to be a landmark occasion for local trainer Kuah Cheng Tee.

The 48-year-old saddled his 100th winner at Kranji when Last Samurai led from go to whoa to take the sixth event.

Well supported, the American-bred beat Rocket Ryane by 1 3/4 lengths, with Rocky taking the other minor placing.

A former jockey, Kuah hung up his boots in 2003.

He then worked through the ranks from senior track rider to stable supervisor in 2005, before earning his assistant trainer’s licence in 2009.

He became a fully fledged trainer in 2016.

In the opening event, which served to usher in the Year Of The Rabbit, Super Generous was off like a mechanical hare in a greyhound race.

And the rest never came close to catching her over the 1,200m.

A three-time winner, Super Generous was ridden by A’Isisuhairi Kasim, who has hit a brilliant patch of form at these early days of the season.

Super Generous was his fourth winner, coming on the heels of that fine treble on Day One.

It was also a super training feat by Leslie Khoo who, like “Harry” Kasim, has had a dream start to the season.

And the horse he has to thank just happens to be his latest winner, Super Generous.

The mare gave Khoo his first winner for the season when she beat Per Incrown by a neck on Jan 7.

He added another to the tally when Wild Bee won on Jan 14.

Khoo, who had entered a lean and mean team of three for the meeting, picked up a double when Melody Fair swamped them to take Race 8.

Wong Chin Chuen, who rode Melody Fair, would end the day with a treble, his other winners being Sun Elizabeth in the seventh and newcomer Pacific Bao Bei in the last.

Following Super Generous’ victory in the first, another mare put the boys to shame in Race 2.

Ahorsewithnoname, owned by Giovanni Stable, began that journey to making a name for herself when she led from pillar to post to win with plenty of cheek.

Jumped cleanly by Manoel Nunes, she went to the front. From then on, the Brazilian nursed her home to take the 1,400m race by two lengths.

In his post-race interview, the champion hoop agreed that the mare was a temperamental girl.

He said: “Like most fillies, you do not fight with her.

“She found the front easily and, when she put herself there, she went on to race really well. I just did the rest.”

Her trainer, Tim Fitzsimmons, agreed.

“She tends to get her head up and sometimes changes gears,” he said.

“I did not give Manoel any instructions. We just wanted her to be comfortable and that was where he put her. It was a good win.”

Monday's Singapore Results:  sinres24.pdf