Fairway's Turf Online

Dan Excel goes one better in SIA Cup

SINGAPORE: May 18, 2014

Tommy Berry salutes the crowd as he crosses the line on DAN
EXCEL - SNTC photo

DAN EXCEL buried the ghost of the past 12 months when he romped to a record-breaking win in the S$3mil Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) at Kranji here tonight.

After winning the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin in May last year, the Irish gelding has found one to beat four times in group races, including a second-place finish to fellow Hong Kong runner MILITARY ATTACK in the Group 1 SIA Cup last year.

Ridden for the first time by Tommy Berry, DAN EXCEL finished third in the Champions Mile earlier this month but at Kranji tonight, he blew away the opposition to win by one and three-quarter lengths returning a time of 1min. 59.07secs which better the previous best of 1min. 59.22secs. set by GLORIA DE CAMPEAO when the latter won the SIA Cup in 2009.

French runner SMOKING SUN flew home to beat MILITARY ATTACK for second, denying Hong Kong a 1-2 for the second year running.

"DAN EXCEL was always the underdog, the bridesmaid, but he drew the right gate. He had barrier No 1 and he just enjoyed a ground-saving run on the rails throughout,” said John Moore who also trains MILITARY ATTACK, the odds-on favourite at $9 for a win.

"MILITARY ATTACK had to be used very early to get across from his wide draw and he was not the same at the finish."

For Berry, it was his second big win on this track after partnering TROPAIS to victory in the Singapore Gold Cup last November.

"He (DAN EXCEL) showed tonight that he’s a better horse with the winkers on and I was confident when he was bouncing out of his skin coming through the tunnel onto the track. He travelled a lot stronger than I expected. He was tough right through the line."

RESULTS AT A GLANCE: Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 SYDNEY STAKES
1	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1400M
12	THESE STREETS	C Brown	J Moreira	1
	(4 b.nz.g Elusive City - Conquering Beauty by I Conquer)
7	Golden Curl	S Gray	R Rueven	2
2	Scrapper Well	S Burridge	T See	3
4	Forever Lucky	D Koh	Soo	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 SHANGHAI STAKES
2	RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1200M
1	ASSERTIVE LAD	B Marsh	CW Brown	1
	(3 b.nz.g Elusive City - Spanish Melody by O'Reilly)
10	Orion	S Gray	L Allpress	2
9	McConaughey	L Laxon	J Moreira	3
2	Dragon Walk	HW Tan	B Prebble	4
11	Prince Of Seville	M Walker	M Nunes	4
	*Dead-heat for 4th

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 LONDON STAKES
3	CLASS 4 - 1600M
5	ABSOLUTELY	C Brown	B Prebble	1
	(3 b/br.nz.g Coats Prince - Kappadios by Great Charmer)
4	Zedkaar	M Clements	M Nunes	2
11	New York City	L Laxon	A Munro	3
2	Alfonso	L Laxon	CW Brown	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 FRANKFURT STAKES
4	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1400M
9	SPALATO	O'Hara	M Nunes	1
	(4 b.nz.g Elusive City - Ellington by Express Duke)
4	Turangawaewae	L Laxon	J Moreira	2
5	Vectis	S Burridge	R Rueven	3
12	Panama City	ZL Mok	K A'Isisuhairi	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 NEW YORK STAKES
5	NOVICE - 1400M
9	TWICKENHAM	S Gray	CW Brown	1
	(3 b.a.g Artie Schiller - Lady Migaloo by General Nediym)
1	Eagle Storm	B Dean	D Oliver	2
14	Takeover	S Burridge	M Nunes	3
5	Best Tothelign	S Baertschiger	J Powell	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 LOS ANGELES STAKES
6	KRANJI STAKES C - 1800M
13	KATE'S KEEPER	S Gray	Z Purton	1
	(4 b.nz.g Keeper - Stage Fright by Stravinsky)
2	Cannon Hill	P Shaw	T See	2
15	Flying Tempo	H Takaoka	A Munro	3
14	Zipangu	H Takaoka	K A'Isisuhairi	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 HONG KONG STAKES
7	KRANJI STAKES A - 1600M
4	MARTIN	L Laxon	D Beasley	1
	(5 b.nz.g Colombia - Hayletdance by Turbulent Dancer)
9	Wall Street Boy	C Brown	M Nunes	2
1	Trudeau	B Marsh	J Moreira	3
2	Born To Fly	S Gray	L Allpress	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 MUMBAI STAKES
8	KRANJI STAKES A - 1200M
1	EL MILAGRO	S Baertschiger	D Beasley	1
	(5 b.a.g Red Dazzler - Vinzky by Stravinsky)
5	What Now	C Brown	J Moreira	2
3	Supernova	B Marsh	Z Zuriman	3
6	Sir Lovesalot	B Marsh	CW Brown	4

	KRISFLYER INTERNATIONAL SPRINT
9	GROUP 1 (SW) - 1200M
1	LUCKY NINE	C Fownes	B Prebble	1
	(7 b.ir.g Dubawi - Birjand by Green Desert)
9	Emperor Max	S Gray	Z Purton	2
4	Zac Spirit	C Brown	A Munro	3
3	Captain Obvious	HW Tan	Chavez	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL CUP
10	GROUP 1 (SW) - 2000M
2	DAN EXCEL	J Moore	T Berry	1
	(6 b.ir.g Shamardal - Love Excelling by Polish Precedent)
7	Smoking Sun	P Bary	S Pasquier	2
1	Military Attack (IRE)	J Moore	J Moreira	3
3	Tokei Halo	H Shimizu	H Shii	4

	SINGAPORE AIRLINES A380 NEW DELHI STAKES
11	CLASS 3 - 1200M
3	MIA	M Walker	CW Brown	1
	(3 b.nz.g Castledale - Spntaneous Miss by Riverman)
10	Easy Money	HK Tan	I Santana	2
1	Bale Star	P Shaw	B Vorster	3
8	Euro Zone	L Laxon	K A'Isisuhairi	4