Trainer Leslie Khoo could not be happier at the winner’s circle after Auspicious King (NZ) (Per Incanto) opened his account first-up in the S$20,000 Open Maiden race (1200m) at Kranji on Saturday.
The Per Incanto three-year-old showed some potential after he placed twice from two starts last year in similar races over the same trip, but unfortunately suffered from a tendon injury.
Five months after his last run, Auspicious King returned and ran second in a barrier trial on 6 February. That good trial run and his previous runs had punters rooting for him at favouritism.
After he jumped fair from barrier four, Auspicious King was snagged back behind the leaders before coming out widest on the home turn and sweeping past the leaders with 100m to go and winning by one-and-three-quarters lengths.
Mr Teo Peng Seng, the 81-year-old Singaporean owner and businessman was not at the races, but Khoo was glad to get another winner for this long-time supporter of Singapore and Malaysia racing, whose past handy gallopers included Trend Setter III, Happy Life II, Groovy II and Staff General.
To get another win for Teo during the Chinese New Year period, a festive celebration that spans 15 days in the first month of the Lunar calendar was probably more of a happy coincidence, but Khoo was in high spirits at his second win this season after scoring with Tennet Tentennet on 6 January.
“It’s good for the owner. He’s been an owner for very long, more than 50 years,” said the former top jockey.
“He used to have about 10 horses here but stopped buying horses (Singapore Turf Club) after we want to close. He’s old now so he doesn’t come to the races but he enjoys racing and wants his horse to win.
“This horse (Auspicious King) had some tendon issues so I had to let him rest for some time, but he’s got one second and one third over the same trip before.
“He’s good at 1200m but he can go further to 1400m. I may look for a 1200m or 1400m race for him next. It can be on the Polytrack too. I think he can still win next time!”
Bought for $60,000 as a two-year-old from the Kilgravin Lodge draft at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, Auspicious King’s first win in three starts has taken his earnings to over S$30,000 for connections.
“I galloped him on Tuesday and he felt very good, so I thought he could win then,” said jockey Bruno Queiroz, who has chalked up 14 wins thus far, one more than fellow champion jockey Manoel Nunes.
“He’s a very good horse and I was very confident because he also ran very well at his last race (second on 23 September). I watched his last trial and he ran very easy too.
“He’s improving and can go longer in future.”
Other New Zealand bred winners on Saturday include Nature Chief (NZ) (Time Test), Roda Robot (NZ) (Mongolian Khan), Silver Dragon (NZ) (Time Test), Per Incrown (NZ) (Per Incanto), & Energy Baby (NZ) (Rich Enuff).
