Fairway's Turf Online

Van der Merwe lands first win on Loving You

SINGAPORE: Mar, 2019

Juan Paul van der Merwe scoring his maiden Singapore win on LOVING
YOU - SNTC photo

LOVING YOU: That's probably what Juan Paul van der Merwe whispered to the horse underneath him when he dismounted in the Class 4, Div 2 - 1200m sprint at Kranji here tonight.

For after 32 rides with just a third placing to show, the South African jockey finally landed his first win in Singapore astride LOVING YOU.

Van der Merwe took the American mare to the front on settling down and made every post a winning one. She won by three-quarter length.

LOVING YOU had made a winning start to her career when winning her debut slightly more than 12 months ago and picked up another win last August. She then had a series of placings before being given a short let-up.

Her seasonal debut again brought a winning performance.

"It’s been a while, but it’s good to finally get that first win," said van der Merwe. "It’s not been easy. I had to go back home for some personal issues, but I’ve done my homework on this horse and saw that she was more a Polytrack horse than a grass horse."

The 28-year-old won around 700 races back home. Singapore is his second overseas stint after Mauritius where he rode 18 winners.

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

1	CLASS 5 - 1200M
4	ICHIGOICHIE	J Saimee	F Yusoff	1
	(5 b.nz.g Stravinsky - Femmena by Zabeel)
10	Spur Me On	KS Tan	A Syahir	2
7	Joyous	M Yusof	TH Koh	3
6	Perfect Commando	KY Young	T See	4

2	RESTRICTED MAIDEN (WFA) - 1200M
2	GALVARINO	HW Tan	T See	1
	(3 br.a.g Stryker - Lady Diva by Polish Navy)
9	Lim's Craft	S Burridge	B Thompson	2
1	Golden Years	M Clements	V Duric	3
3	Hugo	S Gray	D Moor	4

3	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1200M
3	LOVING YOU	M Clements	J van der Merwe	1
	(4 b.am.m Twirling Candy - Azasecret by Discreet Cat)
1	Salvador	S Burridge	S Noh	2
10	Super Talent	KY Young	Woodworth	3
2	Lim's Reform	M Walker	T See	4

4	CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1600M (POLYTRACK)
9	RED RIDING WOOD	J Saimee	V Duric	1
	(5 b/br.nz.g Redwood - Dreamcatcher by Stravinsky)
5	Southern Glory	B Marsh	T See	2
8	Pacific Mystical	L Dragon	S John	3
4	Roan Ranger	KS Tan	A Syahir	4

5	KRANJI STAKES D (SW) - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
3	THUNDERSTRUCK	S Baertschiger	S Noh	1
	(4 br.a.g Stryker - Barsha by Redoute's Choice)
5	Burkaan	D Logan	N Zyrul	2
9	Tavito	KS Tan	M Rodd	3
4	Uncle Lucky	B Marsh	TH Koh	4

6	CLASS 5, DIV 2 - 1600M (POLYTRACK)
5	TIGER FORCE	D Logan	D Moor	1
	(4 ch.am.g Kitten's Joy - Anecdote by First Samurai)
12	Hephaestus	O'Hara	Saifudin	2
2	Sugartime Jazz	HW Tan	S John	3
3	Call It	S Burridge	V Duric	4

7	KRANJI STAKES C (SW) - 1600M
9	GLASGOW	S Burridge	S Noh	1
	(4 b.a.g Not A Single Doubt - Unspoken Choice by Giant's Causeway)
10	Gold City	C Brown	M Rodd	2
5	Sun Marshal	DL Freedman	V Duric	3
8	Super Dynasty	DL Freedman	J Powell	4

8	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1200M
5	GRAND KOONTA	J Peters	D Moor	1
	(4 gr.ir.g Dark Angel - Wrong Key by Key Of Luck)
10	Sacred Guru	M Walker	Woodworth	2
3	Cambridge	C Brown	M Rodd	3
11	Crazy Dreams	ZL Mok	WS Chan	4