Countofmontecristo lands Merlion Trophy

SINGAPORE:  Aug 25, 2019
 
It's heads-up-heads-down between COUNTOFMONTECRISTO (outside)
and BOLD THRUSTER in the Merlion Trophy - SNTC photo
 

COUNTOFMONTECRISTO returned to the winner's circle after nearly 24 months when he captured the Group 2 Merion Trophy over 1200m on the polytrack at Kranji here today.

The Champion 3YO of 2017, who won seven races that year, has always been thereabouts when it came to the group races since last success with no less than six placings at group level, including a close second to DISTINCTIVE DARCI in the same race last year when it was held in April.

Two starts back, COUNTOFMONTECRISTO came from a long way back to finish second to DEBT COLLECTOR in the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy over 1600m, and it has been 15 months since he last raced over 1200m, when he came third in the Lion City Cup last year.

The New Zealand gelding surprised many when he was well up with the pace from early on and was in a line of three vying for the lead at the home bend.

COUNTOFMONTECRISTO and BOLD THRUSTER, who won three consecutive Group 3 races from last November to May, drew away to fight out the finish with the former winning by a short head.

"It could have gone either way with Bold Thruster fighting back on the fence, but Countofmontecristo showed his class," said trainer Michael Clements. "To come back from 1600m and run a Group 2 race on Polytrack was a question mark, but he showed his class and did it. He’s best up to this trip and the mile."

COUNTOFMONTECRISTO has now eight wins and eight placings in 23 starts, earning over $1.55mil in prizemoney. 

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

1

 DISTINCTIVE DARCI 2018 STAKES
CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1600M
11 YULONG FIRE D Kok V Duric

1
(4 b.ir.g Red Jazz - Anklesocks by Night Shift)
2 Hidden Promise M Walker MM Firdaus

2
9 Hero In The Wind H Takaoka S Noh

3
10 Humdinger B Marsh L Beuzelin

4
 

2

 INFANTRY 2017 STAKES
OPEN MAIDEN (WFA) - 1600M (POLYTRACK)
8 CHAMPAGNE FINALE D Logan V Duric

1
(4 b.a.g All Too Hard - Grande Annee by Gone West)
6 Mr Fat Kiddy J Lim B Thompson

2
2 Majestic D Kok Woodworth

3
3 JK Flash O'Hara Saifudin

4
 

3

 SPALATO 2016 STAKES
CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
5 COUNT ME IN D Kok Woodworth

1
(3 b.nz.c Showcasing - Keeper Coming by Keeper)
8 Elite Beast J Tan CK Ng

2
1 Effortless S Baertschiger J Powell

3
2 Red Claw D Meagher L Beuzelin

4
 

4

 EL PADRINO 2014-2015 STAKES
CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1400M
5 PER INPOWER CT Kuah S John

1
(5 ch.nz.g Per Incanto - Saint She Ain't by Kinjite)
7 Siam MP M Clements J Azzopardi

2
2 Absolvido S Burridge WH Kok

3
12 Super Speed S Burridge I Amirul

4
 

5

 SPEEDY CAT 2013 STAKES
CLASS 5, DIV 2 - 1600M
6 SPOKESMAN M Walker R Zawari

1
(5 b.nz.g Alamosa - Panthera by One Cool Cat)
7 Shangani J Peters J van der Merwe

2
10 She's The One KY Young Saifudin

3
9 Gold Company C Brown P Moloney

4
 

6

 BETTER THAN EVER 2012 STAKES
CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
2 TARO SAN J Saimee S Noh

1
(5 b.nz.g All American - Celadon by Danehill)
5 Tax Free O'Hara Saifudin

2
1 Snip D Meagher WH Kok

3
6 Lim's Ray S Burridge Woodworth

4
 

7

 TUXEDO MOON 2011 STAKES
CLASS 2 - 1400M
4 TOP KNIGHT M Clements D Moor

1
(4 br.a.g Zoustar - Nero Cavallo by Charnwood Forest)
1 Nepean S Baertschiger Kellady

2
7 Magic Wand KS Tan CC Wong

3
5 Viviano M Walker J van der Merwe

4
 

8

 MERLION TROPHY
SINGAPORE GROUP 2 (WFA) - 1200M
2 COUNTOFMONTECRISTO M Clements D Moor

1
(6 b.nz.g Ecohes Of Heaven - Replicate by Towkay)
10 Bold Thruster M Clements J Azzopardi

2
7 Mister Yeoh C Brown B Thompson

3
3 Blizzard DL Freedman P Moloney

4
 

9

 MEXICAN ROSE 2010 STAKES
CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1400M
8 BUSHIDO M Clements A Collett

1
(3 ch.j.g King's Best - Sprint Mint by Bago)
5 Diamond Beauty C Brown M Rodd

2
3 Our Pinnacle S Gray P Moloney

3
6 Turf Princess DL Freedman V Duric

4