El Chapo gives Shafrizal perfect wedding gift
Third-time lucky for $236 Clements-trained outsider
A half-year spell that came after two unplaced starts certainly did El Chapo a world of good and one man thankful for that was apprentice jockey S Shafrizal.
You see, the Penang-born rider is getting married on Friday and the $236 surprise victory was the perfect wedding present for him.
With rides hard to come by, let alone the good ones, the feeling was especially great on his only mount for the night and he was seen standing up on his irons to celebrate his sixth victory of the season.
There was no doubt the young rider is now riding with greater sureness and confidence, and the success was deserving, indeed. More so, on an outsider.
Although he jumped well, Shafrizal parked his mount in a handy position, as Ban The Doubt crossed in from his wide berth to streak to a six-length lead from the Leslie Khoo-trained newcomer Grand Knight. Then came Hun Yeang Road and El Chapo on the rails.
Ban The Doubt still led by a massive margin on straightening but found that he was running on empty with 200m to go. He was crossed by Grand Knight on his outside and El Chapo on his inside 150m out.
With Shafrizal going hell for leather, the Giovanni Racing No. 7 Stable-owned El Chapo gave more to deny Khoo of his 400th Kranji success with Grand Knight.
The winning time was good, 1min 09.50sec for the 1,200m achieved in Restricted Maiden.
Winning trainer Michael Clements' deputy, Michael White, said El Chapo had shown good ability although he looked a "very backward type physically".
"He's not the best put together horse but his work has been good, his trial has been good, but we weren't too sure," he said.
"Shafrizal rode him perfectly and he said they went hard and the race panned out perfectly for him. He showed good fight at the end, so it was a good effort."
Said Shafrizal: "I just followed what Michael said: Just follow the run, don't lead, let him roll and try your best in the straight. Yeah, it's my wedding present!"
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