Heartening Flyer (NZ) (Excelebration) lived up to his name when he got off to a flier on Sunday with trainer Michael Clements predicting bigger and better things for the colt post-race.
After two barrier trial wins put the writing on the wall, the Excelebration three-year-old certainly franked that impression from the way he was coasting in a handy spot in the S$75,000 Restricted Maiden Division 1 race over 1200m.
Once he swept past the weakening leader Lady Fast (NZ) (Ferlax), he looked a moral, but Brutus (Rubick) would not give him peace inside the concluding stages.
The $8 hotpot looked on the ropes as his lead was whittled down, but under Louis-Philippe Beuzelin’s deft handling, he raised another gear to hold Brutus at bay by a neck.
The Shadow (Dissident) took third place another 4 ½ lengths away. Heartening Flyer ran the 1200m on Polytrack in 1min 11.84secs and was bringing up around S$40,000 in prizemoney to the Tivic Stable.
Pleased with what he saw, Clements has already locked away Heartening Flyer’s next outing.
“It was a nice game win. 1200m first-up is never easy for a young horse,” said the Zimbabwean-born trainer.
“I was really pleased with how he travelled, and up the straight, he kicked nicely. He was probably lacking in experience when he looked a bit lost once he hit the front.
“But when the other horse came up, he quickened up again. I have found a Novice race over 1200m on turf for him on August 16.
“He’s a long-striding horse and in my opinion, such horses are more comfortable on grass.”
Bred by Kilgravin Lodge Heartening Flyer was sold through their 2018 draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run sale for $95,000.
