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Trainer Patrick Shaw sealed a perfect night for his yard when his small team of two runners both returned to the stables with the top prize on Friday.
The South African mentor had only Cadet and Storm Troops entered on the nine-race programme, and after the former got on the scoresheet in the second race (see earlier report), Storm Troops duly followed suit five races later in the $125,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1200m.
Both winners were ridden by jockey Nooresh Juglall, and the credit was even greater considering both were resuming after a long break.
Cadet was certainly a worthy winner first-up from a 187-day break in the Restricted Maiden race over 1000m, and should scale greater heights if he keeps heading the right way, but Storm Troops was clearly the one who could give Shaw another accolade at the highest level in the foreseeable future.
Taking on tougher opposition made up of the likes of A La Victory, Cavallo and Viviano, Storm Troops snuck into the gun spot (third on the fence) as Flak Jacket (Matthew Kellady) set the tune in front ahead of Dragon Fury (Danny Beasley).
In the home straight, it became increasingly clear that the even-money favourite could not get beaten when he was peeled out for his charge to the line, more so when there was a bit of scrimmage between Viviano and L’Apprenti Sorcier (Vlad Duric) at the back.
Upfront, the bird had flown. Storm Troops did not look back as he kept up a relentless gallop, easily shrugging off a late challenge from A La Victory (Corey Brown) who had to settle for second place two lengths astern. Flak Jacket fought on gallantly to hang on for third place another half-a-length away. The winning time was 1min 9.72secs for the 1200m on the Long Course.
“He’s a very nice horse and he was given a nice ride by Nooresh,” said assistant-trainer Ricardo Le Grange filling in for Shaw for the night.
“Mentally and physically, he’s getting better and better. He’s come back in great order after the break and with the light weight tonight, he’s done a super job.
“We’ll see how he pulls up, but theoretically, he should be going for the EW Barker Trophy.”
The Group 2 handicap race is run over 1400m and will be held on November 18 as the prelude to the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) on November 20.
Juglall, who was the winning partner aboard another EW Barker contender, the James Peters-trained Spanish Bay in the Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes (1400m), said he would have to make a decision, but being duty-bound to the Shaw yard, which has been behind him from Day 1 since his Kranji debut in 2014, one would second-guess the Mauritian hoop would have to remain a true “Trooper”.
“I discussed tonight’s race with Ricky and we agreed we would just sit off the pace,” said Juglall.
“I was very happy where we were, sitting behind the two horses, and once I got him going, he beat them quite easily. He has a very nice turn of foot and he accelerated beautifully in the straight.
“He deserves to have a shot at the EW Barker Trophy, but Spanish Bay is also a very good chance.”
An Argentinian-bred five-year-old by Orpen, Storm Troops has now taken his tally to five wins and three placings from 10 starts for stakes earnings close to the $260,000 mark for prominent South African owner Fred Crabbia.
With the training double, Shaw has narrowed the gap a little on the current table-topper Alwin Tan, who saddled only one winner in Nova Swiss. The difference is now down to nine winners with eight race meetings left in the season.