Goodbye, Solaris Spectrum, Latest Racing News - The New Paper
Racing

Goodbye, Solaris Spectrum

8YO seven-time winner heading to Malaysia for a well-deserved retirement

Just last week, news came that Group 3 Fortune Bowl winner Blizzard would be retired in Australia to be an eventer.

Now, eight-year-old Solaris Spectrum will head for Malaysia for a well-deserved retirement, following his all-the-way triumph at Kranji last Friday night.

Trainer Shane Baertschiger, who was on his way to the airport, announced through his deputy, Scott Bailey, that his charge had run his last race.

"We're retiring Solaris. He's served us very well with seven wins," said Bailey.

"Shane rang me up to confirm the news. It's great that he went out on a winning note.

"He'll go to a riding club in Malaysia. He's a quiet horse and he'll be suited in that new career.

"He's actually my favourite at the stables. I love him, he was in my wedding pictures."

Solaris Spectrum signed off his Kranji racing career with a $113 upset in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 2 race over 1,400m.

It was his seventh victory from 41 starts. He had five seconds and five thirds.

All in, he won more than $410,000 for Chen Kwong Stable.

It sure has been a long time between drinks since his win in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1,200m on Jan 26 last year. It saw his rating plummet from 80 to 65 in a losing sequence of 16 runs.

Friday's success gave replacement rider, AB Riduan, a nice welcome-back present. The apprentice jockey was coming back from a three-month suspension.

Before his enforced holiday, the Kelantan-born and New Zealand-trained rider had been a major revelation since his Kranji debut this year, scooping up 10 wins in a three-month blitz.

HORSE RACING