Lim’s Kosciuszko scores easily again
Trainer Meagher's Restricted Maiden debut winner outsprints a stronger lot in a Novice event over the same course and distance
Businessman Lim Siah Mong of the powerful Lim's Stable is going to have a lot of fun with his new acquisition Lim's Kosciuszko.
Handpicked by his racing manager, former top Australian jockey Mick Dittman, the three-year-old made it two from two with another spectacular exhibition of speed and power at Kranji yesterday.
It was over the same 1,200m trip on turf as his first win in Restricted Maiden but in a higher class - the $75,000 Novice event.
It did not matter.
The bay Australian-bred again impressed with another polished display by outsprinting his rivals in an identical 1min 09.49sec for the trip.
Dipping below the 1min 10sec barrier in both runs as a new horse is a sign of an honest and genuine thoroughbred.
With further improvement, the sky is now the limit.
Jockey Danny Beasley, who was astride in the first win and worked regularly on the horse, was serving a one-day suspension for careless riding, so the task was given to the capable A'Isisuhairi "Harry" Kasim.
The former two-time top apprentice jockey did not have to do much on his mount, who was backed down as the $9 favourite. He just had to jump out swiftly from his handy Gate 2 and the horse did the rest.
He was unperturbed when Sun Trek and Super Generous overtook him on settling down. He just made the logical move of staying on the shortest route home.
Lim's Kosciuszko cruised up nicely turning for home and hit the front on straightening. With just a few cracks of the whip, his mount kicked clear.
Trainer Mark Walker's pair of outsider Stenmark and the well-supported newcomer Aftermath finished second and third respectively. The margins were two lengths and 11/4 lengths.
Meagher was naturally rapt with Lim's Kosciuszko's stellar back-to-back success. After all, the horse was not 100 per cent yet. He won on natural ability. The more racing, the better his charge will become.
"He's just an easy horse to train. He just does everything very well. He eats, he works quietly and he's just a very competitive horse when it comes to the trials and races," said the son of former Kranji-based Melbourne Cup-winning trainer John Meagher.
"Thanks to Mr Lim and Mick Dittman, they've been great supporters of mine - and it's great that we've got another nice horse in our hands.
"With the style of training that we do, he just does his work very easily. He has his swim, Harry came and rode him on Friday and couldn't believe how quiet he was.
"Danny Beasley has done a lot of work with him and in his trials, so it has been a team effort. He's a lovely horse and we're looking forward to his future. I haven't really looked ahead, but I suppose I could look at the Three-Year-Old races for him."
This year, the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge is reduced to only the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint over 1,200m on June 27 and the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic over 1,400m on July 18. The final leg, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas over 1,600m, has been left out.
A'Isisuhairi also gave a glowing report on Lim's Kosciuszko.
"He seems like a very smart horse. I am pleased to be on board," said the Kelantan-born jockey. "I got to canter him on Friday morning to get to know him and found that it was so easy to handle him.
"He was a bit lost in front, looking around, but he went another gear and was too good."
The Kranji racecourse was buzzing a little more yesterday. Owners with runners were allowed to bring up to seven guests in with Covid-19 protocols in place.
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