Meagher torpedoes on
Another double, including another patched-up horse winning, catapults the Australian to fourth position in the Singapore trainers' premiership table
For the second time in a week, trainer Daniel Meagher provided a double, which again included a winner that gave him immense satisaction.
One of the Australian's winners from last Friday week was Lim's Samurai, whom he nursed from some leg issues to end a long sequence of "outs" to win.
The same thing happened last Friday, the first time racing was conducted without spectators at the Singapore Racecourse at Kranji in line with the Ministry of Health's advisory on tighter measures to minimise spread of Covid-19.
Meagher again proved himself as a patient trainer after Lim's Dashing scored first-up from a 10-month spell .
For good measure, he also saddled Lim's Torpedo to victory.
Lim's Dashing, a three-time winner under Stephen Gray, had to undergo a chip operation and was given plenty of tender loving care to return to race fitness.
Meagher's confidence was boosted after his assistant, former jockey Danny Beasley, gave the thumbs-up after the seven-year-old's last barrier trial.
"That was his first run for us. When he came to us from Stephen, he had some chips in the joint and we had to operate on him," said Meagher, who also owns Lim's Dashing.
"We brought him back and he then had three trials for us. Danny rode him in all his trials and, after his last, he gave me the confidence he would run well.
"We planned for that race for a long time. It was a well sought-out plan and it's fantastic he's won first-up. Again, a big thank you to all the team. It was a great team effort."
Ridden by 3kg-claiming apprentice jockey Yusoff Fadzli, Lim's Dashing raced in midfield and started to make up good ground in the straight.
Sacred Don, the $25 chance, drew first blood when he collared leader First Choice.
Hotshots Slam, who was punched late to start as the $14 favourite, made great inroads.
But Yusof brought his $32 hope with a top run in the middle of the track to win by a length in the $50,000 Class 4 Div 2 race over the Polytrack 1,100m.
The race was marred by a fall, when jockey Ruan Maia was dislodged in the concluding stages from the well-backed Golden Dash. The Brazilian was reported to have suffered a sprained neck and was replaced on his other rides for the night.
Lim's Torpedo was also resuming fit and fresh from a 4¼-month spell.
Recent Group 2 Stewards' Cup-winning jockey A'Isisuhairi Kasim brought the $28 chance home with a flourish to give the luckless St Alwyn, the $10 favourite, his sixth runner-up spot in 10 starts.
Like most, Meagher felt odd with racing without spectators and the high-octane cheering.
"It's a strange feeling, but, when you win, it's a good feeling," he said.
"Without the crowd, the great atmosphere is missing, but we have to be just thankful that we are allowed to race.
"The club has done a great job to, you know, put everything in order and put everything nicely done.We are all safe and sound, so it is to be commended on what they have done for us as a whole industry."
Last Friday's double has taken Meagher a few notches up to be fourth in the Singapore trainers' premiership table with 12 winners.
Stewards Cup-winning trainer Michael Clements has overtaken leader Mark Walker by a winner, when Celavi took the last race last Friday. He has tallied 21 winners this year.
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