Punters were left blowing hot and cold in the first two races at Kranji on Friday night.
After cheering odds-on favourite California (Written Tycoon) home in the opener, the S$30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1100m, a deafening silence fell over Kranji when $263 pop Whizzy Waltzzy (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) came from left field to take out the next race, the S$20,000 Open Maiden race over 1600m.
With a record of one second and one third in 14 starts, Leticia Dragon’s former galloper was quite logically overshadowed in the betting market, but under an inspiring ride from Chin, the recent transfer stole their thunder with a late burst not even his new trainer Jerome Tan thought he could conjure up.
“This horse had a knee chip surgery and was at his third run for us. We’ve had to manage him the best we could,” said the first-season handler.
“It was a maiden race tonight, and he didn’t run a bad race at his last start (12th but only 5 ½ lengths off the winner Born To Win). CS Chin rode him at his last start and had a better idea how to ride him tonight.”
From the awkward alley, Chin dropped Whizzy Waltzzy at the rear in advance of only one runner, and only started to get on his bike upon straightening.
Upfront, favourite Giant Killing (Jet Spur) tried to make all but abdicated when Cause To Fly (Excelebration) collared him at the 200m.
Duric looked all poised to collect a race-to-race double, but Chin had in the meantime brought Whizzy Waltzzy with a sustained run after they were flushed out wide at the top of the straight.
With none of the main protagonists having that killer turn of foot to put the race to bed, it was the Mettre En Jeu five-year-old who laid down the law with a little more authority inside the last 100m once he squeezed his way in between Lord Justice (NZ) (Showcasing) and Eastern Victory (Not a Single Doubt) to go and get up by three parts of a length from Cause To Fly.
The winning time was 1min 37.26secs for the 1600m on the Long Course.
“Because of his knee chip, we have to take care of him. He probably liked the give in the ground as well,” said Chin.
“I think he also liked being around horses. He kept fighting and won a nice race.” That account opener at his 15th start has doubled Whizzy Waltzzy’s bank account to around S$22,000 for his owner, Mr Tan Kay Chuan.
