Kok has his Red-letter day

A lucky pick-up ride on $142 outsider Red Maned snapped one of the longest dry spells leading local jockey Simon Kok had to endure in his six-year career.

The former two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey had gone nine months without winning a race – an eternity in any sport. He last greeted the judge aboard Hasten for Steven Burridge on Aug 20, 2023.

In saying this, Kok did spend four months overseas – December to March, for both business and pleasure. He tied the knot with French girlfriend Lola in France, and stayed on to ride out for trainer Jerome Reynier. He even took two race rides for the leading handler in Nimes, finishing third on both occasions.

The Malaysian rider only returned to Singapore in April, booked mostly on the Falcon Racing Stable horses, but the winning post still proved elusive.

In three meetings (he missed one through a careless riding suspension incurred atop October) and 17 rides, Kok had only one second place to show for (astride July on May 4).

With no standout in his book of six rides on May 25, he was starting to wonder if he would soon need a map to find his way back to the winner’s enclosure.

More so when he will miss the next meeting on June 1 through another careless riding suspension on the same mount, October.

Such is the cruel game of horse racing that Kok would have indeed gone through another winless day, if not for someone else’s mishap.

The ride on Red Maned only fell onto his lap in the morning after Darren Danis was stood down through illness (dengue fever).

An impromptu ride is always a welcome extra bullet, especially for a victory-starved rider, but that is only half the battle. There is still a race to be won.

He did not let that last-minute chance go abegging, delivering the perfect execution on the Donna Logan-trained Burgundy five-year-old. It was not only sheer relief that was palpable as he weighed in, but also humility and thoughtfulness.

“I feel sorry for Darren. He would have won his first race in Singapore,” said Kok, of the newly-arrived New Zealand-based Singaporean hoop.

“We met each other when we were both showjumping in Ipoh. I wish him a speedy recovery.”

But, at the end of the day, a win is a win – even if someone else’s pain was his gain.

“When I came back from France, I expected it would be tough because of the situation now,” said Kok, alluding to the shrinking of the pie with racing set to run its final lap on Oct 5.

“I’m fortunate to still get support, and I’m lucky to get a winner today. Hopefully, it’ll bring more wins from now on.”

Kok wasted no time in sizing up his ride after he got the call-up.

“I saw that horse’s videos, especially the last race when he ran a place,” he said.

“Donna just told me to ride a forward race. He bounced out good but, from the wide barrier, I had to wake him up as the horses on the inside were kicking up.

“I was then able to relax him while I kept him galloping forward.

“In the last 200m, I was worried when the other horse (Sacred Gold) was coming up so fast on my outside, but I just kept riding my horse hands and heels.”

Red Maned does not win out of turn, but did finish an encouraging closing third under Danis at his last start on May 12.

After a smart jump, he was bustled up to the front from his awkward alley before pairing off with War Warrior (Faiz Khair) at the top of the queue.

The race looked all stitched up when he swept past the leader at the 200m, only for last-start winner Sacred Gold (Ryan Curatolo) to stake his claim, but he was kept at bay one length away.

Captain Singapore (Saifudin Ismail) ran third, another neck away. The winning time was 1min 12.43sec for the Class 5 1,200m race on Polytrack.

“Darren was the first one to congratulate me from the hospital. It’s not easy to see your ride win when you’re out sick, my thoughts are with him,” said Logan.

“But it’s good for Simon, though. He hasn’t won a race for a while, so it was like he was breaking the duck again. I told Simon this horse has good gate speed and to lead if he can, or else to just box-seat him.

“I also told him to keep him going early as he is one-paced. He got him into a lovely rhythm and he quickened well for him in the last 200m.”

manyan@sph.com.sg