Nemo can find his way back home now

Desmond Koh’s useful three-year-old can bounce back with his return to Polytrack

Michael Lee

Jun 23, 2023 12:13 am

All the signs seem to point towards a return to winning ways for Flying Nemo this Saturday.

The pint-sized three-year-old with the explosive turn of foot actually had excuses at his last two outings that ended in defeats.

In a nutshell, he was too far back. Despite all his will, he was behind the eight-ball from the outset, but still made ground to finish within fair distances of the winner.

In the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1,400m), he began awkwardly from his wide alley and got shuffled back to last.

Amirul Ismadi, who was at his first ride on the son of Vespa, might have got busy a touch too late.
By hugging the rails, he was eyeing the shortest way home, but had a sea of horses to navigate through upon straightening.

In the end, Flying Nemo ducked back to the inside for a clear run, but he also had the best of his 3YO peers like Coin Toss, Bestseller and January to contend with.

He finished midfield, but creditably, less than four lengths off the winner Coin Toss.

Next out, Desmond Koh’s valiant galloper was dropped back to 1,200m in Class 4 company.

He did not settle last like in the Classic but, again, he could not muster speed despite a low gate.

Regular partner Simon Kok was back in the irons, but he was confronted with the same predicament as Amirul swinging for home – there was no way out.

The last 400m was a carbon copy of his previous start. The engine purred into life as Kok steered the diminutive bay towards an inside gap, but the bird had already flown.

Flying Nemo made stacks of ground, except for the one length and a bit left to catch up on the winner Show All Sixty-One.

But perhaps the greatest mitigating factor for the three-time winner was that both defeats came at his first two attempts on turf.

In Saturday’s $50,000 Class 4 race over 1,200m, he reverts to the Polytrack surface over which he posted his three wins (1,000m, 1,100m and 1,200m).

“He wasn’t unlucky at his last start. He just didn’t have the speed to go with them early,” said Koh.

“He’s been working well but the only query is the 58.5kg. There isn’t much of him – even if his body weight has dropped from 429kg to 423kg, 6kg is not significant.”

The booking of Manoel Nunes will slash his odds further.

Without taking anything away from Kok or Amirul (who both have other rides in the race), the more experienced Brazilian has the tactical nous to set himself better for an uninterrupted run.

Barrier No. 3 may not help in racing handy as he tends to be beaten for speed early, but it may afford him a closer stalking position for a better shot at victory.

“Simon couldn’t ride him. He was booked on Pacific Gold,” said Koh.

“We got Nunes, who trialled him before. It’s all good.”

For Kok to have chosen to combine with his namesake in the training ranks, David Kok (no relation), Pacific Gold ought to be included in the calculations.

At his Kranji debut in a Class 4 race over 1,200m on Polytrack on May 27, the four-year-old son of Kermadec – sire of reigning Horse of the Year Lim’s Kosciuszko – rattled home for a smack-up fifth after fluffing his lines at the start.

He was still green in a subsequent barrier trial, pulling double halfway through. He still finished pleasingly on the outside, even looking like he could finish over the top of Raising Sixty-One.

But his track rider stayed motionless while Raising Sixty-One won by a head under hard riding.

Pacific Gold is one of a few horses forming part of emerging outfit Pacific Stable’s diversification drive. They still keep the bulk of their string with Michael Clements (15), but recently branched out to Kok (six), Jerome Tan (four) and Tan Kah Soon (one).

Big Tiger dumped Benny Woodworth after he dipped at the start last Saturday. Given it was more like a free stroll around the track, connections have backed him up.

His course and distance record of four wins puts him in good stead for a forward run – provided he keeps Daniel Moor on board.

Webster is getting long in the tooth, but he has drawn a barrier. With no weight on his back, he may be in this for a long way.