Poseidon sails away to convincing victory
Trainer Cliff Brown's 6YO New Zealand-bred wins back-to-back Racing Guide Classic
He won it as the lowest-rated contender last year and, interestingly, he won it again as the highest-rated runner yesterday.
That was the nice touch to the Cliff Brown-trained Poseidon's success in the $125,000 Racing Guide Classic over 1,400m in Race 8 at Kranji.
Last year, Poseidon was rated only 75 points when he saluted with jockey Derreck David astride and, yesterday, the six-year-old triumphed as the top-rated runner with 94 points.
Ridden a treat by jockey Michael Rodd, it was the Olympian Stable-owned gelding's ninth success from 30 starts and he has now amassed almost $600,000 in prize money.
Brown also won the inaugural iRace Media-sponsored event with Lord Brompton in 2013.
The Stephen Gray-trained Twickenham won the 2014 edition and the race was not staged in 2015.
"Yeah, look, we've got a very good record in it, so that's good," said Brown of his incredible treble in four runnings.
Turning to Poseidon, he said: "He's a lovely horse, he's so genuine and just does everything right. He's a pleasure to train.
"We might head to the Barker, so we'll just see. He's a lovely horse."
The $350,000 Group 2 EW Barker Trophy over 1,400m is on Nov 10.
Yesterday's 12-horse Racing Guide Classic field got away quite evenly but reigning Dester Singapore Gold Cup winner Bahana and Gray-trained stablemate Newlands dropped right back to see them all.
Last-start winner Flak Jacket, one of bang-in-form trainer Shane Baertschiger's three runners, rocketed to the front to lead by a couple of lengths.
He maintained his handy lead at the halfway mark from The General, with another two lengths to Poseidon, who had crossed in from barrier 10.
A length behind came Baertschiger's Best Tothelign and the $13 favourite Lim's Samurai.
The General closed in on Flak Jacket on straightening under jockey Nooresh Juglall's urgings.
Rodd moved Poseidon up in tandem, wider, and his mount began to sail away.
Jockey Glen Boss brought Lim's Samurai home with a nice run but the winner was home and hosed, winning by one-and-a-quarter lengths in 1min 22.95sec on the yielding track.
Rodd was pleasantly surprised his $53 winner travelled up so nicely and was so full of running in the home straight.
"Look, he drew a pretty sticky barrier but, with a bit of luck, he crossed in very easily after I pretty much gave him a bit of a squeeze in the first furlong (200m)," said the Australian.
"He sat one off the fence and Nooresh was behind the leader and I could see that he was going to come three deep, so I just waited and not put any pressure to push him any wider, and it played out perfect.
"When we got to the 500m, he came to make a run in the race and, although I still didn't spend a penny, I wasn't going as good.
"But, when I straightened up, he changed legs and just took off. You know, he was really comfortable on his off-side leg and he enjoyed that ground.
"He's a horse with quite a bit of talent, he's got a very good record and it was a very solid win."
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