SINGAPORE,  16 July 2006

Classy import OUR FALSTAFF justified his pride of place to win the S$1 million Emirates Singapore Derby for four-year-olds over 2000m at Kranji today, giving his rider Robbie Fradd his first taste of success in Singapore as well.

Winner of two races in Ireland and one in Dubai, the bay Irish gelding by Montjeu out of the Pursuit Of Love mare Dance Of Love was named FALSTAFF when he landed in Singapore in April to contest the Singapore Airlines International Cup the following month when trained by Mike de Kock. He finished a creditable seventh behind Japan's COSMO BULK.

He stayed on and was placed under the care of trainer Patrick Shaw with the Derby — which this year offers a record prizemoney — in mind. He was also renamed OUR FALSTAFF.

The decision to continue his racing in Singapore hit pay dirt but it needed the astute jockeyship of Fradd, specially brought in for the weekend, to complete the mission in the Singapore Group 1 event.

OUR FALSTAFF beat last season’s Horse of the Year BIG EASY (4 b.nz.g Spinning World - Nicole’s Niner by Forty Niner) into second place with another recent classy import SETEMBRO CHOVE (4 b.brz.h Fast Gold - Setting Trends by Knifebox), also trained by Shaw, third.