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Champion sprinter Rocket Man rounded out his preparation for Hong Kong with a 1000m barrier trial victory on Wednesday morning.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Rocket Man leaves on Saturday to contest the HK$14 million Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint over 1200m at Sha Tin on December 11.
Ridden by Barend Vorster, Rocket Man scored by a length-and-three-quarters over Yin Xin (Soo Khoon Beng) with Imagery (Declan McDonogh) six lengths back in third place.
Rocket Man ran the 1000m journey in 59.3 secs, coming home the last 600m in 33.5 secs.
His final serious hitout in Singapore however didn't all go according to plan as the six-year-old again jumped a shadow on the Polytrack.
Rocket Man's problems with jumping shadows first surfaced when he was successful on the Polytrack back in February 2009. The following July Rocket Man was then sidelined with a condylar fracture to the off-fore cannon bone.
Again when winning a Kranji Stakes A over 1200m on November 11 Rocket Man jumped a shadow nearing the 800m mark, but on Wednesday morning a wide ranging shadow across the entire track caught his attention on the hometurn.
After jumping the shadow, Vorster allowed Rocket Man time to balance up before he set sail after the leader Yin Xin, overhauling him in the final 50m in a solid workout.
“That's just him,” said Vorster of Rocket Man's propensity for jumping shadows. “We just go with him stride by stride.
“Really there was nothing we could do with him today. The shadow was right across the track.
“He lost momentum so I just let him gather himself up after that and then let him chase down the leader.
“I was just urging him hands and heels. I was happy with the way he let down and he has certainly improved since his win here the other day.”
Trainer Patrick Shaw said the trial was exactly what he wanted as Rocket Man had a natural leader in Yin Xin and was able to take a sit behind that horse.
“We wanted something to lead him and give him the chance to settle and then have something to chase down,” said Shaw.
“We also wanted him to run a bit of time this morning.”
Shaw said it has been a balancing act in trying to have Rocket Man at his peak for Hong Kong after his trip to Japan at the start of October which saw him finish for the first time out of a place when fourth behind Curren Chan in the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama.
With the cooler conditions in Japan Rocket Man began growing a winter coat which he has since had clipped but Shaw is expecting the same in the cooler Hong Kong weather at this time of year.
“It's been tough having him right after his trip to Japan,” said Shaw.
“I can't be as tough on him as I have been in the past as he had the trip to and from Japan and he's got another flight to Hong Kong.
“I'm happy with how he is looking and his weight is pretty much right.
“He's booked in to get his leg x-rayed tomorrow (Thursday) and then he'll fly out on Saturday morning.”
The son of Viscount has won 18 of his 23 starts with four second placings and almost $5.9 million in prizemoney for owner Fred Crabbia.