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It was Mother's Day, and the
appropriately-named SINCERELY came to the fore in the main event of the
afternoon, the Supreme B event over 1200m, at Sungei Besi here today.
It was a superb comeback win for the French gelding by Evasive who missed
action for the whole of last year after winning two races at Kranji in 2020
and 2021.
The gelding had arrived in Singapore with big hopes for his owners in the
big races. He won three races and was placed thrice in just seven starts in
France, winning the listed Prix Millkom at Toulouse and was also placed in
another listed race at three.
SINCERELY won first-up in Class 3 in Singapore and had another win in Class
2. He also ran third behind SUPER DYNASTY in the Group 3 Colonial Chief
Stakes in 2020.
The six-year-old has been knocking on the door since making his comeback
this year with some creditable runs, finishing third to STREETS OF FIRE in a
similar race over 1400m last month.
Ridden by apprentice Cheah
Wei Wen, SINCERELY jumped brilliantly from his
wide carrier and led on settling down. However, GOLDEN SARDINE headed him at
the half-way mark and led into the straight with VULCAN for company.
SINCERELY was just next third on the rails. Joint favourite KONG FU PANDA
also loomed into the picture to make it four in a line.
SINCERELY looked beaten at the 200m when he fell behind the other three. But
with a few cracks of the whip by Cheah, the gelding responded and began to
regain ground rapidly. He hit the front again 80m out and went on to beat
KONG FU PANDA by half a length. WATCH THE THRONE flashed home on the outside
rails to finish third.
It was the fourth win of the afternoon for Cheah.
"It was my first time riding four winners and I feel very proud and happy
especially on Mother's Day," said Cheah. "It made my mum very proud of me."
"At the same time I couldn't help
but wish our stable rider can recover as soon as
possible and return to the saddle."
Cheah was referring to
fellow stable apprentice Chong Kar Hoong who was seriously injured after his
mount BLOOD ROYAL fell in a race here last Saturday.
(Khaw Choon Kit also fell on GUILTY PLEASURES
in the same race. The following
day, Laercia De Souza, a former apprentice of Lines, was also injured after
a fall on COSMIC SANDS.)
On SINCERELY, he said: "At the 200m I didn't think he could win because a
felt like he was stopping. I am glad he refused to be beaten."
All his winners were trained by his master Richard Lines who also had a
fifth winner in KING OF GLORY, ridden by Saddam
Hussein Saari who booted home five
winners in Ipoh yesterday.
"It has been a trying week for the
whole stable but thankfully all my riders are recovering well," said Lines.
"SINCERELY did a good job from his wide barrier, aided by a good ride from
Cheah. Hopefully he will gain a run in the (Tunku Gold) Cup in a couple of
weeks and run a good race for the owners."
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