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Undefeated Captain Kirk is heading for a break following his victory in the $65,000 Novice Stakes over 1100m on the Polytrack.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Ridden by A’Isisuhairi (Harry) Kasim, Captain Kirk scored a half-length victory over Potluck (Erasmus Aslam) with Take It Home (Alan Munro) a length-and-a-quarter away third.
Captain Kirk won his debut outing over 1200m on the turf back on May 17 and trainer Leslie Khoo believes the gelding is better suited on that surface.
Sent out the $11 favourite, Captain Kirk jumped the fastest of the seven runners and was able to cross from his outside draw and lead the field on settling down. So Free Now (Soo Khoon Beng) moved forward to apply some pressure with Smart Samurai (Manoel Nunes) and Potluck next in line.
A’Isisuhairi kept Captain Kirk under a tight rein until the hometurn before asking for an effort and the gelding quickly opened up a winning break on his rivals, holding on bravely as Potluck whittled back the margin.
Following his debut victory, Khoo elected to give Captain Kirk a barrier trial under the lights on June 6 with the gelding finishing second behind Telescopic.
Khoo revealed after the trial the gelding was feeling his shins and he backed-off on the three-year-old in the lead-up to Friday night’s race.
“I’ll give him a break now for six-to-eight weeks,” said Khoo. “I didn’t push him after his trial at night last week as he was feeling his shins afterwards.
“I thought he may have been feeling them a bit again tonight as he changed stride late in the race and I just think also that he might be a better horse on the turf as well.
“He was very fast at the start and then the other horse came up and pressured him.
“He’s a nice lovely horse and has a bit of a future.”
A’Isisuhairi also believes Captain Kirk has a bright future ahead of him after making it back-to-back victories.
“I think he has a good feature race win in him,” said A’Isisuhairi. “He’s a lovely strong horse and I’m sure he will keep getting better.
“He jumped very well but then the other horse came up to him and didn’t really give him any chance to relax.
“He showed a good turn of foot when I asked him and although he was getting tired on the line I think he was entitled to a bit after being pressured.
“He’s got a very good future ahead of him.”
A New Zealand-bred, Captain Kirk is by Falkirk from Chiming and has won just shy of $70,000 in prizemoney from his two wins for the Captain Stable.