The lethal combination of Destroyer Eclipse (NZ) (Alamosa) and Vlad Duric were again at their destructive best in the S$70,000 Class 3 race over 1600m on Friday night.
Prior to that latest success, Duric had partnered the James Peters-trained Alamosa five-year-old to three of his previous four wins. He has now added a fourth courtesy of one of his typically aggressive rides that saw Destroyer Eclipse outbattle an equally gutsy Vittoria Perfetta (Zoustar) by a short head.
The two popular picks in the 10-horse field proved their supporters right when they detached themselves from the rest to stage a ding-dong battle the whole length of the Kranji straight.
The tussle could have gone either way, but Destroyer Eclipse, who came off a cushy run in the box-seat, concluded just a touch better.
After dictating terms for most of the way, Vittoria Perfetta tapped into his reserve tank when collared, but eventually conceded defeat without losing admirers. Salamence (Foxwedge) ran third another 2 ¾ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 33.69secs for the 1600m on the Short Course.
With that second win for the night, two-time Singapore champion jockey Duric is all but home in his bid for a third consecutive title.
“Destroyer Eclipse has been a wonderful horse to me,” said the Australian jockey who opened proceedings with a similar hard-driven win aboard Our Showcase (NZ) (Showcasing) in the first race, the S$30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race over 1400m.
“I remember when I rode him on Polytrack before, I could barely hold him. He was a bit of a mad runner.
“Credit to James for persevering with him. Tonight, he also beat a quality field.
“I liked that race for him tonight. James asked me if he should put the blinkers back on, I told him it was his call, but I think it was the winning move to put the shades back on going up in distance.
“He is an absolute pleasure to ride.”
Peters, who was ringing up his 24th winner for the season and currently sits mid-table in 13th place, certainly enjoyed that win.
“He’s got a good record on this surface (two previous wins) and had a good draw (one),” said the British conditioner.
“On paper, he should have a good run around. He also had the fitness on his side with two runs and had the blinkers on.
“The leader is an up-and-coming young horse but when my horse attacked him, he was strong to the line.
“I’d like to say a big thank you to (racing manager) Eoin Sullivan. The stable just had a winner in Argentina and have another runner in Ireland, not to mention they already race in Singapore and Malaysia, so it’s great for them.”
Owned by Indonesian businessman Iman Hartono, the Eclipse Stable has now collected in excess of S$240,000 in stakes money from Destroyer Eclipse’s five wins and five placings from 23 starts.
Destroyer Eclipse was consigned by Wellfield Lodge at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales and returned later that year as a Ready To Run two-year-old in the draft of Riverrock Farm He was knocked down to Hartono for $40,000.
