Grylls and Poon over the moon
Hong Kong apprentice and Kiwi jockey land their first Kranji victory
New Zealand jockey Craig Grylls had a day to remember yesterday, thanks to UNCLE LUCKY who took the opening race at Kranji.
Four races later, it was Hong Kong apprentice Matthew Poon's turn to reach seventh heaven when he won on his first day of riding in Singapore on CERTAINLY, albeit only by a nose from Duke Of Normandy
While it was only Poon's third mount of the day, it was ride No. 15 and fifth Kranji meeting for Grylls, whose best effort before yesterday was a third on the favourite Enhancement at his second meeting on July 23.
Poon, 23, rode a confident race on the Cliff Brown-trained Certainly, a $23 chance in the Class 3 event over 1,800m.
Staying in midfield behind pacemaker Makanani, Poon made his bid in the straight. Aotearoa soon had the measure of the leader but Certainly revved up on the outside and Duke Of Normandy on the rails.
Certainly and Duke Of Normandy lunged at Aotearoa in the shadows of the winning post and the photo-finish showed Certainly beating "The Duke" by the narrowest of margins.
"Feel happy, first meeting can get a winner today. Awesome," said Poon, who was trained in Brisbane, Australia.
He rode 73 winners in two years in Brisbane, where he earned the nickname "The Poon Train", and 15 winners from 81 rides in Hong Kong.
He is here for two weeks under the auspices of Thoroughbred Racing South Australia and the Singapore Turf Club as the Dux of South Australia, a reward for being its best apprentice jockey.
Grylls, the son of former jockey Gary Grylls, who rode at Bukit Timah in the late 1980s, started his three-month Kranji stint late last month.
The 27-year-old steered Uncle Lucky to an all-the-way victory in the Class 5 event over Polytrack 1,100m.
He secured the leader's role for Uncle Lucky after crossing in from the second-widest barrier in the field of 12 and was never headed again.
"I'm really happy I got that first winner out of the way as the quality of rides wasn't quite there in the first couple of weeks," said Grylls.
"I've been getting good support from a few trainers, and it's great I opened my account today. It's onwards and upwards."
Previously trained by John O'Hara, Uncle Lucky was having his fourth start and first victory for trainer Bruce Marsh and, interesting to note, the bay New Zealand-bred was back to his previous winning rating of 43 points, which is the top of the Class 5 level.
His two earlier wins under O'Hara were also on 43 points.
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