Fairway's Turf Online

Shafiq is the Winning Man with hat-trick

SINGAPORE: Oct 16, 2015

WINNING MAN proves just too speedy for his rivals - SNTC photo

WINNING MAN might have cost just NZ$5,500 as a yearling, but the gelding is big in potential as indicated by his two starts thus far.

Making his debut only as a four-year-old three weeks ago, WINNING MAN wasted no time to show what he's worth with an all-the-way win in Initiation company over 1200m on the turf.

Switching to 1100m tonight, the gelding showed that he is just as comfortable on the polytrack with another front-running display, winning by four lengths in a smart time of 1min 4.96secs, only 0.59 second outside EASY MAN's track record. Both horses are trained by Leslie Khoo.

"I was expecting a good run tonight, but he won even more easily than I thought," said Khoo.

For winning rider Shafiq Rizuan, it was another big night for the 2011 champion apprentice as he swept the last three races with TITANIUM, WINNING MAN and ROCKFAST.

The hat-trick brings his tally to the season to 47 winners, 25 ahead of his nearest rival A’Isisuhairi Kasim for the 2015 title.

Former New Zealand galloper ROCKFAST came right in his third start in Singapore with a well-earned but hard-fought victory. Costing NZ$410,000 as a yearling, the gelding managed just one win back home but four of his eight placings were in group races, including a second in the Group 1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas.

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

1	CLASS 5 - 1200M
8	HIGHLIGHT	D Hill	A Munro	1
	(5 b.nz.g Volksraad - The Persuader by Personal Escort)
3	Miss Elysium	L Laxon	M Rodd	2
5	Sugartime Jazz	B Dean	Chavez	3
11	Exceptional Choice	B Dean	R Zawari	4

2	MAIDEN - 1200M (POLYTRACK)
5	FAST JET	S Lam	R Rueven	1
	(4 br.nz.g Patapan - Moire by Crested Wave)
2	Aguila Azteca	M Walker	R Shafiq	2
11	Heavenly Gift	D Hill	CC Wong	3
3	Confeign	B Dean	Chavez	4

3	CLASS 4 - 1800M (POLYTRACK)
1	ANY RUMOUR	C Brown	M Rodd	1
	(5 gr.nz.g Any Suggestion - Loranay by Prince Of Praise)
9	Know Each Other	P Shaw	N Juglall	2
6	Tangible Assets	H Takaoka	Sam	3
5	Mr Clooney	L Laxon	M Nunes	4

4	CLASS 5, DIV 2 - 1700M (POLYTRACK)
8	BIGCAT RAHPSODY	HW Tan	Kellady	1
	(7 b.nz.g Darci Brahma - The Lions Roar by Western Symphony)
3	Han Solo	S Baertschiger	J Powell	2
9	Buzet	D Hill	A Munro	3
1	Shabbat	D Koh	M Nunes	4

5	BENCHMARK 83 - 1800M
3	PERFECT P	P Shaw	N Juglall	1
	(4 ch.arg.g Perfectperformance - Holly Filly by Lode)
4	Ideal Guide	L Laxon	M Rodd	2
2	Order Of The Sun	D Koh	Woodworth	3
1	A La Victory	M Freedman	T Bell	4

6	CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1700M (POLYTRACK)
10	BLACK FRIDAY	H Takaoka	A Munro	1
	(5 b.j.g Black Tide - Mighty Botan by Taiki Shuttle)
1	Clermont Club	M Walker	M Nunes	2
8	Forever Best	B Dean	S John	3
3	Ron	L Laxon	M Rodd	4

7	BENCHMARK 83 - 1400M
4	TITANIUM	M Freedman	R Shafiq	1
	(4 br.nz.g Tavistock - Zanetta by Centaine)
5	Strubeli	S Gray	R Rueven	2
8	Ocean General	HK Tan	TH Koh	3
1	Bourbon Goldman	B Marsh	CC Wong	4

8	CLASS 4 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
6	WINNING MAN	Khoo	R Shafiq	1
	(4 br.nz.g Patapan - Si Gignorina by Senor Pete)
12	Xin Treasure	D Koh	TH Koh	2
8	Supersonicsurprise	T Kieser	A Munro	3
4	Federer	S Baertschiger	J Powell	4

9	CLASS 4 - 1400M
2	ROCKFAST	M Walker	R Shafiq	1
	(4 b.a.g Fastnet Rock- Gypsy Princess by Sadler's Wells)
7	Just Name It	C Brown	Chavez	2
12	Maera Negro	H Takaoka	A Munro	3
1	Run It Twice	S Burridge	M Nunes	4