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Promising sprinter Chopin’s Fantaisie took his unbeaten run to four when scoring a tough win at Kranji on Sunday evening.
The punters put their faith in the three-year-old once again and he didn’t let them down, making it four straight wins in the Open Benchmark 67 over 1400m.
With Glen Boss aboard for the first time after Vlad Duric guided him home in his first three starts, Chopin's Fantaisie took up a position just behind the leaders and travelled sweetly in the run before finding clear galloping room early in the straight.Unleashed by Boss, Chopin’s Fantaisie extended quickly but didn’t have it all his own way when Aotearoa kicked up on his inside.
Chopin’s Fantaisie looked in trouble for a few strides but called on his fighting qualities to gain the upper hand and draw clear in the final stages to win by a half length.They spaced the others with Oxbow Sun gaining third, five lengths from the winner.
Chopin’s Fantaisie has yet to win a race by a big margin, his four wins each by less than a length, but he knows how to get the job done and it is that attribute that can see him continue through his grades.It was part of a winning double for Boss who also scored on Tembusu Estrela in the class 5 1400m while apprentice Amirul Ismadi also had a pair of winners with Apollo in the class 5 1400m and Laughing Buffalo in the open maiden over 1600m, both for trainer Cliff Brown.
Magic City made it two wins in a row when he led throughout to win the Novice over 1400m.
He had to do some work early to cross to the front but jockey Manoel Nunes was able to give him a short breather before Fuego started to apply the pressure.Nunes kept his cool and kept Magic City under a hold until early in the straight when Ottawa loomed as a challenger.
Ottawa looked likely to run to the front but Magic City wouldn’t be denied, fighting hard and edging away late to score by a half length. Bear Witness was a length away from the winner in third.The win was Magic City’s second from just five runs and with two second placings as well he looks another with scope for further development.
Friday’s Kranji meeting saw a winning double to the jockey-trainer combination of Zawari Razali and Mark Walker, who first struck with Major Tom in the class 4 over 1200m.
Settling at the tail of the field early, Zawari bided his time and eased Major Tom to the outside in the straight where the Darci Brahma three-year-old sustained a long run and overpowered his rivals late to win by a half length at his first outing for three months.It was Major Tom’s third win from his past four starts and he looks capable of continuing to progress through his grades.
The second winner for Zawari-Walker was The Cosmos in the class 4 over 1000m.Settling better than midfield, The Cosmos finished too powerfully and drew away late to score by a length over Premier Fighter for his third Singapore victory after starting his career in New Zealand.
The biggest winning margin of the evening went to Simpang, who camped on the speed before racing away to win the class 5 over 1200m by 2.5 lengths to deliver the eight-year-old his fifth career win from 72 starts.