Gelded Tannhauser romps home
Trainer Michael Clements' promising 3YO lives up to his trial form
A gelding and wind operation certainly switched on the Michael Clements-trained TANNHAUSER.
Named after the German poet-musician, Tannhauser spreadeagled his 10 Restricted Maiden rivals over the Polytrack 1,100m in Race 2 at Kranji last night, romping home by nine-and-a-quarter lengths.
His winning time of 1min 04.34sec was a class record and just 0.7sec outside the fastest time set by Easy Man in 2013. The Tan Hor Khoon-trained $99 outsider GOOD NEWS equalled the record in Race 5.
Ridden by this season's leading jockey Vlad Duric, Tannhauser jumped swiftly from the second outer-most barrier to cross in and lead.
Super Dragon rushed up to his inside on settling down but Tannhauser popped ahead again soon after. From there on, he started to build up his burgeoning lead. At the post, the $13 favourite was almost 10 lengths ahead of dead-heaters Beijing Star and New Sensation.
It was the winner's first run since his debut fifth last November. He went into the race with a recent trial win.
IMPRESSED
Clements was obviously impressed with the way his Jubilant Racing No. 4 Racing-owned New Zealand-bred won.
"For a maiden to put in a performance like that, it's looking good for his future," he said.
"He was obviously a little bit green in the finish. He wasn't sure what to do and was a bit all over the place. Vlad obviously had to steady him and point him to the right direction."
Clements revealed that Tannhausser had improved after his gelding and wind surgeries.
"We fancied him first-up and he ran okay. Since then, he had a gelding operation, as well as a wind operation," said the Zimbabwean-born trainer.
"He did have wind issues prior to coming up here. Out of his trials in New Zealand, we knew that, and we knew, at some stage, he would have to have the surgery and that was done after his last run, together with the gelding operation. He improved definitely from both surgeries."
Duric was full of praise for Tannhauser, a horse he believes can turn into "a cracking four-year-old".
"He's a horse of some high standard, just a little bit green. He wasn't that in his trial but, just maybe, with the lights on tonight, he just felt a little bit lost in front on his own," said the Australian.
"He has got all the right attributes of a beautiful, big and strong horse. Great action and lovely temperament. He's got a long career ahead of him and he's going to be a cracking four-year-old."
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