Happy Valley bids adieu to 2017 with a Singapore Sling! (photo: HKJC)
Tony Millard charge Singapore Sling is tipped for the upcoming Four-Year-Old Classic Series after snatching Hong Kong’s final race of the year on Wednesday, 27 December in a thriller under Tommy Berry.
Bred by Drakenstein Stud, Singapore Sling (by Philanthropist out of the three-time winning Western Winter mare, Sing Dixie Sing) was a R225 000 Cape Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 graduate in 2015. Conditioned by Geoff Woodruff, Singapore Sling campaigned in the interests of Dave and Tiaan Shawe, achieving 2 wins (including the Gr2 Dingaans) and 2 places from 6 starts in South Africa before being purchased for the Tony Millard stable in Hong Kong.
The 4yo son of Philanthropist cantered down in the final race for 2017, the 1650m Chai Wan Kok Handicap under Tommy Berry. Jumping from gate 5, Berry settled the Millard-charge mid-field, while the John Moore-trained Beauty Prince set the pace under 7lb claimer Matthew Poon.
As the field kicked for home at the top of the straight, Berry shifted out and asked for a run. Singapore Sling responded with an impressive 22.62s closing 400m split that was good enough to collar Beauty Prince a stride from the line, sealing the verdict by a head in a time of 1 minute 40.21.
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“His form overseas before he came here, he got back a little bit and was always storming home,” said Berry. “He’s got pretty good credentials for coming here and he’ll only improve. He was still a bit on his toes, so when he learns to relax and settle down a bit more in his races he’ll be fine.”
Singapore Sling was recording his first Hong Kong win at the second time of asking, having finished 6th over 1400m at Sha Tin on 26 November under Nash Rawiller.
“I followed him last start when I was aboard Rivet,” Berry said. “They went very slow and he made that run quite wide around the bend – he let down well and just looked like he got a bit tired late. Nash gave me a lot of confidence before I went out on him tonight. “He looks a good prospect for the four-year-old series, he’s a nice horse and we’ve got some nice horses at John’s (Moore) that are heading that way and he’ll be in the same mould as them.”
Hong Kong racing resumes at Sha Tin on Monday, 1 January, 2018.
