Big Maverick looms large in Challenge

SINGAPORE,  6 June 2008
 
BIG MAVERICK races past DREAM LAD to victory - SNTC photo

With three of his previous four wins achieved over 1400m, the first leg of the Three-Year-Old Challenge over 1200m tonight might seem a trifle too short for BIG MAVERICK.

But the New Zealand gelding by O'Reilly out of the Woodman mare Ajfan, who was well back in the running till the home turn, was able to turn on a spectacular sprint in the run home to beat the newcomer DREAM LAD who had won three of his five starts in Argentina.

And now he will be hard to beat in the second leg over 1400m and final challenge over 1600m.

Meanwhile, Danny Beasley returned from suspension to land two winners. In the three weeks he was on the sidelines, the Australian saw his lead trimmed to just two winners at the top of the table by Saimee Jumaat.

Saimee added one more win on BIG MAVERICK tonight, but Beasley's double on ROOY and CRISTOFORO means he is now three clear of the field.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE

1

 CLASS 5 - 1100M (SAND)

7

 Luminous Dragon C Leck M Ewe

1

6

 Lucky City D Hill B Vorster

2

1

 Dusky Maiden M Clements M Airy

3

5

 King Of Victory L Treloar Zaki

4

2

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN, DIV 1 - 1400M

9

 Rooy K C Yeoh D Beasley

1

10

 Tuxedo Moon Baertschiger Kellady

2

6

 Eleventh Avenue D Koh Soo

3

2

 Kashani Star B Dean Saimee

4

3

 CLASS 4 - 1700M (SAND)

2

 Chapter Two H Takaoka Zaki

1

6

 Lim's Ocean S Burridge Din Azis

2

12

 Saadiyat C Leck A Ng

3

10

 Lim's Swing J Meagher D Beasley

4

4

 RESTRICTED MAIDEN, DIV 2 - 1400M

7

 Imperial Green S Gray R Fradd

1

1

 Chang Ying M Yusof B Vorster

2

11

 Swank L Laxon Kellady

3

2

 Sir Tiki K C Yeoh S John

4

5

 CLASS 4 - 1100M (SAND)

10

 King's Weapon D Koh Soo

1

2

 My Yeenjeen B Dean Aslam

2

9

 Nero Grotto H Takaoka B Vorster

3

5

 Classical Park J Meagher D Beasley

4

6

 OPEN - 1100M (SAND)

5

 U-Win V-Win Baertschiger S John

1

1

 Why Be L Laxon S H Low

2

3

 Superb Legend D Koh Saimee

3

2

 Breckenridge L Laxon B Vorster

4

7

 THREE-YEAR-OLD CHALLENGE (1ST LEG) - 1200M

1

 Big Maverick L Laxon Saimee

1

9

 Dream Lad P Shaw R Fradd

2

2

 Oneninetyfive B Dean Kellady

3

4

 The Hornet D Dragon Soo

4

8

 OPEN - 1600M

3

 Jade H Takaoka B Vorster

1

6

 Lim's Oasis J Meagher Zaki

2

7

 Big Easy L Laxon Saimee

3

8

 Big Easy B Marsh Chavez

4

9

 BENCHMARK 83 - 1400M

10

 Cristoforo S Burridge D Beasley

1

11

 Key Choice J Meagher Chavez

2

6

 Stedman M Freedman R Fradd

3

3

 Helium J Meagher Zaki

4