Fairway's Turf Online

Ryan Munger off the mark with Pindus

SINGAPORE: Feb 7, 2020

PINDUS (No. 4) gets up close to win give Ryan Munger his first win in
Singapore - SNTC photo

After drawing a blank in his first weekend on the scene last week, South African jockey Ryan Munger was off the mark in his Singapore stint when he piloted PINDUS to victory in the Class 4, Div 2 - 1000m sprint on the polytrack at Kranji here tonight.

Munger, 24, had the son of Exceed And Excel well back in the early running and racing four-wide after a bad draw.

But the Australian four-year-old picked up speed in the 300m to overhaul the leaders one by one to win by a neck at the line. It was the third win in seven starts for PINDUS and winning double for the new season.

"This horse had good form and was in a good place. I actually made him one of my better chances to get my first win, but he was also jumping from a tricky barrier," said Munger. "When he saw daylight at the top of the straight, he attacked the line very well."

Munger joined he South African Jockey Academy in 2011 and after rapidly rising through the ranks, now figures among the leading jockeys in the country. He finished eighth in the table with 127 winners.

He has racked up around 570 winners, including four at Grade 3 level and six in Listed races.His first Grade 3 wins came in the Caradoc Gold Cup with ILITSHE at Turffontein in 2017, while other notable feature wins at Turffontein include the Grade 3 Graham Beck Stakes with NATIONAL PARK in November 2018 and the Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes with PALACE OF DREAMS last March.

In terms of overseas experience, Munger took part in an apprentice jockeys’ challenge in Abu Dhabi back in 2014.

PINDUS was placed in six of nine starts in Australia and has now scored three times in seven runs in Singapore.

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

1	CLASS 5 - 1600M (POLYTRACK)
7	CHAMPAGNE FINALE	D Logan	R Maia	1
	(4 b.a.g All Too Hard - Grande Annee by Gone West)
1	Little Master	KY Young	A Collett	2
11	Scooter	D Koh	CS Chin	3
6	Carnelian	H Takaoka	S Noh	4

2	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1000M (POLYTRACK)
4	PINDUS	R Le Grange	R Munger	1
	(4 b.a.g Exceed And Excel - Melpomene by Elusive Quality)
3	Man Of Mystery	M Walker	WH Kok	2
9	Sun Step	D Koh	R Maia	3
11	Superten	KS Tan	J van der Merwe	4

3	CLASS 5 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
10	PAPERBACK TROOPER	D Meagher	T Rehaizat	1
	(6 br.a.g Publishing - Star Hussar by Luskin Star)
5	Lucky Tiger	J Ong	J See	2
6	River Superstar	ZL Mok	R Maia	3
2	Overcoming	J Peters	M Rodd	4

4	CLASS 4 - 1600M
6	YAYA PAPAYA	L Khoo	R Maia	1
	(5 b.nz.g Nadeem - Casini by Reset)
5	Thunder	T Fitzsimmons	D Moor	2
4	Field Marshal	R Le Grange	M Rodd	3
3	So Hi Class	M Clements	S Shafrizal	4

5	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1400M
7	GENTLEMEN AGREEMENT	S Baertschiger	M Kelldy	1
	(5 br.nz.g Per Incanto - Sirca Dane by Dexter)
9	Auspicious Day	L Khoo	J See	2
1	Axel	M Walker	R Woodworth	3
5	Lai Mak Mak	M Walker	V Duric	4

6	CLASS 2 - 1400M
10	SIAM BLUE VANDA	M Clements	D Moor	1
	(4 b.nz.g Echoes Of Heaven - I'm A Wag by Lahib)
6	Passport To Rome	S Baertschiger	S Shafrizal	2
5	Be Bee	S Baertschiger	M Kellady	3
2	Altair	M Walker	R Woodworth	4

7	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1000M (POLYTRACK)
1	ARC TRIUMPH	J Peters	J Powell	1
	(5 b.nz.g Showcasing - Wind Of Savanna by Savabeel)
10	Lim's Force	D Meagher	R Woodworth	2
4	Super Posh	D Logan	A Collett	3
2	Super Six	J Lim	M Rodd	4

8	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1400M
11	CLARTON PALACE	M Walker	I Azhar	1
	(4 b.nz.g Minstrel Court - Zabba by Zabeel)
1	Silent Partner	M Clements	WH Kok	2
3	Gold City	C Brown	M Rodd	3
2	Dazzle Gold	S Burridge	M Kellady	4