Big Win. Chinchon wins the Gr1 Singapore Airlines International Cup.
The Irish-bred seven year old entire Chinchon showed the experience of his long career on the international road of the hard knocks school of Group racing when he stayed on best to win Sunday’s $3 million Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup run over 2000m.
Ridden by Olivier Doleuze, who had won the inaugural running of the Krisflyer Sprint way back in 2001, it was an emotional occasion for Spanish-born French trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias, who was not present as his father passed away last Friday.
The well-travelled winner finished second in the Grade I United Nations Handicap at Monmouth Park last summer and won the Group 1 Prix Ganay on his home turf in March before disappointing in the Group 1 Audemars Piguet QE II Cup in Hong Kong last month.
He is already on his way back to France and his immediate programme and plans are unclear at this point.
It was a second chance that was taken with both hands by the entire team, as Chinchon, a son of Marju, had run fifth in this prestigious race last year behind Gitano Hernando. His elated jockey summed it up well: “Sometimes, when you have a second chance, you do not let it get away,” said a jubilant Doleuze, adding that the rain-softened ground made enough difference that, “I travelled as a winner all the way.”
Chinchon accelerated away on his preferred soft ground and won off by 3 1/2 lengths from Hong Kong runner Zaidan. The winner ran the 2000 meters in 2:02.43.
Mission Accomplished. French trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias' wife Patricia receives the winning trophy from President Tony Tan.
In a dreamy few moments it looked like the SA-based Newbury Racing team would pull off a dream double after Ato had won the Krisflyer earlier. Their son of Silvano, Flax, bred by Maine Chance Farms and trained by David Hill, had looked a million dollars in the preliminaries. Very relaxed, and as light as a greyhound and with a beautiful eye, he was showing no signs of stopping at the 400m marker and it looked like the fairytale double could be on for Newbury Racing. He stayed on valiantly for third after being overwhelmed in the final 200m.
With the dramatic and disappointing late scratching at the start of the Godolphin runner City Style, the field was reduced to eleven horses.
As he likes to race, Chinchon was settled by Hong Kong-based French jockey Olivier Doleuze near the rear on the fence and seemingly relishing the rain-affected track which had been downgraded to soft, while local hopes Flax (Jose Verenzuela) and Waikato (Opie Bosson) set the pace at the head of affairs.
Among the internationals, favourite Zazou (Andreas Suborics) looked composed and confident , enjoying the run of the race in third place on the rails, while the other French raider Dream Peace (Gerald Mosse) was the worst off, trapped four deep for most of the way.
Hong Kong’s trio of Zaidan (James McDonald), California Memory (Felix Coetzee) and Thumbs Up (Brett Prebble) were strung up in the second and third tier, biding their time before launching their challenge.
Flax came under pressure as the foreign charge headed by Zazou, Zaidan and Chinchon started to make rapid ground. The Waldemar Hickst-trained Zazou was the first to shorten his stride while the John Moore-trained Zaidan kept plugging away, but it was Chinchon who reigned supreme in the end as he powered away in the last 100m to draw off for a three-length win over Zaidan.
The winner was saddled by the trainer’s wife, Patricia Laffon-Parias, who flew back to France immediately afterwards.
A previous stakes earner of around S$863,000 for his owners Sarl Darpat France, Chinchon has now boosted his prizemoney to close to S$2.5 million with this seventh success. It was his second Gr1 win after grabbing the Gr1 United Nation Stakes over 2200m at Monmouth Park, USA in 2009.
