Matt Jones – 4 Grand Nationals under his belt
Racing this past weekend provided us with a glimpse of things to come, with some decent sorts winning their respective races, writes Gareth Pepper.
Sunday saw some horses with decent enough records out to show their worth. Elusive Emperor from the Shaw yard took his place in the hotly contested 2nd race and showed he is much better than his last race suggests, where he was luckless.
It was a performance full of merit and he won by a deceiving 0.8 L.
He is definitely one for the black book and may head for the Guineas in five weeks’ time.
Another star performer of the day was Chase in the 6th. He really has improved and recorded his 3rd win in a row. The Walker- trained galloper really has improved and he too put his hand up for a crack at the Guineas
The performance of the day was the juvenile, Super One.
He took out the Make Your Own Magic Stakes in fine style.
The Australian bred son of I Am Invincible had been trialling and working up a storm in the mornings and come race day he had no equal.
Ridden by Craig Newitt and trained by Michael Freedman, the imposing colt (he weighed in at an impressive 554kg’s) he jumped well, led and was never headed. He won by 3,5 L and is a very forward type that we will be hearing a lot of here – mark him down too.
This Weekend
Affleck – ready to redeem himself
This weekend sees the running of the 3YO Classic.
With Kiwi Karma scratched, Affleck will be out to redeem himself with a victory. Be sure to tune in on Friday as some of our best 3YO take their place in the Classic.
We have Sunday off and this gives us a chance to enjoy a long weekend. Thereafter we have the third leg of the sprinter’s series, The Lion City Cup , where Zac Spirit is out to show who is boss ahead of the Krisflyer Sprint on international day, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Cup which will see some of the better older horses going around.
Getting to know the team
The senior race caller here is Craig Evans (more about him in a few weeks).
I thought I would introduce Matt Jones in short.
The 38 year old Australian native has a tremendous CV.
Matt will normally call the first half of the card followed by Craig (in case you were wondering who is who).
He has called in Australia as well as the UK and boasts the rare honour of being involved in calling 4 Grand Nationals. Matt has made me feel most welcome here and what really is impressive is his memory regarding past performances and the natural way in which he calls races.
Matt ended up the number 2 caller in Melbourne and had 6 years at the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate and the Caufield Cup.
He really is a natural and a guy that could hold his own anywhere in the world. He knows his form in and out and always adds a different perspective on raceday.
Follow his tips – he is more often than not on the mark.
Pepper Crab – A Must
One of the many local favourites in Singapore is Chilli and Pepper Crab. For those seafood fans out there they are both worth a try.
My choice would be the Pepper Crab – fresh crab cooked in a black peppercorn sauce that is simply delicious and totally addicitive. If you ever get the chance, give it a bash as it has been a hugely hands on and fun experience.
Till next time.
