One Rar scores comeback win, Latest Racing News - The New Paper
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One Rar scores comeback win

Black-type winner and rising nine-year-old ONE RAR bade farewell to his trainer Shane Baertschiger with the perfect parting present on Sunday.

Beginning his Kranji career on the second last day of the 2012 season on Dec 14, the 2014 Group 3 Causeway Classic Stakes winner was clocking in his 47th and final start for the Australian handler in the $60,000 Open Benchmark 67 race over 1,800m.

The now eight-time winner's next race will be under a different banner, as Baertschiger had before Sunday already given him as a "free transfer" to newly licensed trainer Young Keah Yong

Trainer Desmond Koh's former assistant-trainer officially started operations on July 1 but does not expect to have his first runners until September, busier for now with building up his team of horses.

Having not scored since Jan 18, 2015 - representing a winless run of 23 starts - the son of Dane Shadow finally got his winning mood back, ironically on the day the party streamers and auld lang syne were ready to pop at the stables.

"Here's a story for you. The old boy's going to Ah Young," said Baertschiger, who knows the rookie trainer well for having been his next-door neighbour during the time he was at Koh's yard.

"Ah Young has no horses, and I decided to give him One Rar. I spoke with (owner) Geoff (Grimish) and he was okay with that. Geoff will still race his other horses Flak Jacket and War Story with me.

"The horse was getting old, but he is still sound as you could see today. He won at his last race for me.

"He was down in grade, and the kid (apprentice jockey Syafiq Hazman) rode him good."

Whether he will be registered under another name remains to be seen, but One Rar, a one-time winner in Australia before coming to Singapore, has seen his local stakes earnings tip just over the half-million mark at his swan song for Baertschiger and Grimish.

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