Royal Captain bags Patrons' Bowl

SINGAPORE,  5 June 2005

ROYAL CAPTAIN returned to racing in Singapore in triumphant style at Kranji today when he captured the S$250,000 Patrons’ Bowl over 1400m.

With replacement jockey Din Azis astride, the four-year-old brown New Zealand gelding by Carolingian out of the Long Row mare Vicki Deming came from well off the pace to defeat WORLD AIRLINES (4 b.a.g Umatilla - Euchre by Final Card), who was bidding for his fifth consecutive win, by a neck.

The favourite RECAST (4 ch.a.rig Thunder Gulch - Abonnement by Marauding) was a well-beaten third, two-and-three-quarter lengths further back.

ROYAL CAPTAIN began his career in Singapore where he chalked up three wins in nine starts, including final two legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge last year.

However, after his unplaced outing in the Singapore Gold Cup last November, he was sent across the causeway to the stables of Richard Lines.

He started thrice in Malaysia, finishing third to BABY STAR in the Yang Di Pertua Negeri Gold Cup, second in a 1400m sprint and fourth to SOLO VENTURE in the MRA Cup over 1600m at Ipoh in March.

But after his owners Dragon Stable’s split-up with Lines, ROYAL CAPTAIN found himself back at Kranji with his former trainer Laurie Laxon.

Laxon, who saddled four winners yesterday, added two more with ROYAL CAPTAIN and TO EXCELL (3 b.nz.g Magic Of Sydney - Mistaurian by Straight Strike), who stepped up on two second placings to win the Kranji Stakes C over 1400m.

Meanwhile, the indisposed Jason Waddell was the biggest loser today when three of his mounts triumphed with replacement jockeys on board. Apart from ROYAL CAPTAIN and TO EXCELL, another to find success was BLIZZ BLESS (7 ch.arg.g Lode - Bless The Bride by Blushing Groom) in the Class 1 - 1600m handicap.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN, DIV 2 - 1200M

3

 Great Arc D Koh K K Loh

1

7

 Trail Blazer Busuttin M Walker

2

10

 Lim's United Pinfield T Ong

3

2

 Reactor Yusof B Vorster

4

2

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN, DIV 1 - 1200M

3

 Fixed Asset Busuttin M Walker

1

5

 King Of Dreams B Dean Saimee

2

9

 Fire And Desire Shaw Du Plessis

3

2

 Banker Way Burridge H K Lim

4

3

 GRADUATION - 1600M

6

 Point Of Honour Bailey T Jackman

1

8

 Titan Fun Laxon Woodworth

2

7

 Shaggadelic Shaw B Vorster

3

5

 El Santos Shaw Du Plessis

4

4

 CLASS 5 - 2000M

7

 Song Of Belle D Koh Soo

1

5

 Kismet Baertschiger Kellady

2

8

 Southern Dragon H K Tan Kway

3

3

 Sun Marina Takaoka S John

4

5

 CLASS 4 - 1200M

4

 Gold Strike Yusof B Tai

1

1

 Jackson Laxon Woodworth

2

7

 Lucky Luke Busuttin M Walker

3

11

 Eight Legged H K Tan Din Azis

4

6

 BENCHMARK 91 - 1200M

3

 Lord Of The Rings S Gray Saimee

1

6

 General Sequalo K C Yeoh H K Lim

2

2

 Mannakarma Laxon Du Plessis

3

7

 Bushwhacked Laxon Sam

4

7

 KRANJI STAKES C,  OPEN - 1400M

5

 To Excell Laxon B Vorster

1

9

 Lim's Hunter Meagher Soo

2

3

 Steal A Scene Meagher A Fiezan

3

14

 Highland Gold Leck A Ng

4

8

 CLASS 1 - 1600M

4

 Blizz Bless Shaw B Vorster

1

8

 Lead To Victory Read S Kumar

2

7

 Mount Street Laxon Saimee

3

3

 Exaggerate Treloar M Pay

4

9

 PATRONS' BOWL (Singapore Group 2) - 1400M

3

 Royal Captain Laxon Din Azis

1

4

 World Airlines Burridge M Pay

2

1

 Recast Meagher Saimee

3

8

 Royal Warrant Leck A Ng

4

10

 BENCHMARK 53 - 1200M

8

 Flying Rainbow Treloar M Pay

1

13

 Superb Star D Koh Soo

2

14

 Diamond Ace Leck Saimee

3

7

 Villa Verde Leck S H Oh

4