Ultra-smart sprinter-miler Mr Malek (NZ) (Swiss Ace) was finally stripped of the tag of the best horse not to have won a major race following his expected victory as the S$17 favourite in the S$150,000 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on Saturday.
Identified as big race material from Day One, the athletic son of Swiss Ace lived up to the hype through a meteoric rise as a three-year-old reeling off a memorable five-in-a-row when trained by Lee Freedman.
When he got his first taste of champagne racing, he acquitted himself extremely well, even if it was close but no cigar – third in the Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) and second in the Lion City Cup (1200m), beaten on both occasions by the irrepressible Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor), spawning the slightly condescending thought he was doomed to the bridesmaid tag.
But with Inferno now pursuing his career in Australia and following Mr Malek’s own change of scenery to trainer Steven Burridge when Freedman exited in March, it was his time to shine on the big stage.
After Burridge was fortunately able to nip a lameness issue in the bud, award-winning owner Oscar Racing Stable’s sole horse left (after a massive stable purge) picked his way through two lead-up races with a solid first-up third followed by a slashing win in a Class 2 race over 1400m on June 5.
Mr Malek was then presented at his peak for his piece de resistance, the former second Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, which is this year just a standalone feature coupled with the other remaining Leg, the Singapore Derby (1800m) on July 25.
After a smart jump from barrier three, Mr Malek was never in doubt once jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim parked him in fourth spot as longshot The Wild Bunch (NZ) (Swiss Ace) rolled to the lead in the small nine-horse field.
As The Wild Bunch duly folded, Mr Malek skipped clear for a winning effort that can be summed up as a painless watch.
Clocking 1min 35.89secs for the 1600m on the Long Course, Mr Malek is now the handy money-spinner of more than S$460,000 in stakes for the Oscar Racing Stable, thanks to his imposing record of eight wins and four placings from 13 starts.
While A’Isisuhairi was at his third Stewards’ Cup after those notched with Titanium (NZ) Tavistock) in 2016 and Siam Blue Vanda (NZ) (Echoes Of Heaven) last year, it was a training breakthrough for Burridge, who in 17 years at Kranji, had never saddled any four-year-old feature winner for that matter.
“He’s a very good horse. We were expecting him to run well and he’s done a good job, I’m very happy,” said Burridge.
“The first two leaders came back down the backstraight, but he settled and relaxed beautifully. He just does what he’s good at.
“We’ll look at the Derby for sure, even if it won’t be easy. Big Hearted got home good today and he will be even better over 1800m.
“My horse will have to come through today’s run good of course, but he’s a good doer, so I’m not too worried. He was three kilos up today, he had a good trial last week and a good piece of work at his Tuesday gallop.”
