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Big Union burst onto the scene late under a determined ride from jockey Bernardo Pinheiro to claim the $70,000 Stepitup 2015 Stakes, a Class 3 Division 1 race (1200m) on Sunday.
After his last-start win over the same trip in a Class 4 race on the Polytrack last Sunday, the promising four-year-old son of Zoustar backed up by winning again, albeit on the turf, a track which he ran once before at his previous start. He was unplaced at that Class 4 race (1400m) on 21 July.
However, Pinheiro pointed out that the Jerome Tan-trained gelding had excuses at his last defeat on the turf.
"Two starts ago, he ran on the grass and also stepped up to the 1400m for the first time," said the regular partner of Big Union 's.
"We didn't have a good draw (seven) that day. He missed the kick and I finished three-wide, but I thought he still ran well. I thought he could win on the turf today."
After jumping from barrier six, Big Union was dropped to mid-field in fifth while favourite Lim's Bighorn (Wong Chin Chuen) took up the bunny's role with Mt Niseko (Chad Schofield) settling in second while the pair of Lord's Command (Darren Danis) and Asif (Manoel Nunes) followed in third and fourth respectively.
Turning for home, Pinheiro first opted to duck in for a run on the rails but with Lord's Command also switching heels to the inside at the 350m, Pinheiro had to change plans. At the 300m, leader Lim's Bighorn looked like he could hand Wong his first win this season after the two-time Singapore champion apprentice jockey returned from his five-month stint in Seoul recently.
But the gap between Lim's Bighorn and Mt Niseko, which Pinheiro had set his eyes on for Big Union's final dash, narrowed after Mt Niseko made some ground a furlong from the post. Pinheiro had to switch Big Union further out towards the outside to give chase at the 150m.
The $65 shot swooped home late to finish three parts of a length ahead of the gamed Mt Niseko. Asif ran third another same margin away, nosing Lim's Bighorn out of a podium finish. The winning time was 1 min 8.86secs for the 1200m on the Short Course.
Pinheiro noted the winkers on Big Union also helped at his win this time.
"Thanks to Jerome for the ride. He was smart to put the winkers on him because he was a bit lazy at his last few races," he said.
"Now that he's got experience on the turf before, he was sharper. To me, he improves with every race.
"I told Jerome he could run on the turf, but we did not want to wait so long for the races because he's a big horse (517kgs), so we went back on the Polytrack at his last start which he won well.
"I'm so glad to have won four races with him. I think he can go further, probably to a mile but 1200m and 1400m is good for him now."
The Brazilian hoop scored a hat-trick of wins on Sunday courtesy of two other wins in Hole In One ($8) and Artillery ($14). The Ricardo Le Grange-trained Hole In One took out the $50,000 Makanani 2019 Stakes, a Class 4 race (1600m) while the Donna Logan-trained Artillery won the $50,000 War Affair 2014 Stakes, a Class 4 race (1200m). Pinheiro also pulled off a double with Bucephalus and Captain Legacy in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
Tan reckoned the fast pace on the six furlongs suited Big Union, who will follow the Singaporean handler to Malaysia after racing in Singapore ends after the Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) meeting on 5 October.
"His run on the 1400m on the turf that day was not bad but he missed the kick," said Tan of his 18th winner this year.
"Now he's back to 1200m and the pace was on, so it suited him. Maybe I'll run him in the Class 3 race (1100m) on the Polytrack in (1) September because there's not much around.
"He's a pretty good sort. I bought him at the Magic Millions National Racehorse sale last year for A$22,500.
"I will be going to Malaysia (to train) and he will follow me. I have a share in him with the group of owners (Cat Racing Stable) from Malaysia."
With four wins and one second from seven starts, Big Union has earned over $140,000 in prizemoney for connections.
