Real Efecto heading for better things
Trainer David Kok plans to race his charge in the Group 2 Singapore 3YO Classic
Real Efecto opened as the single-digit favourite on the tote - and he ran like one.
The $7 hotshot's easy all-the-way victory in Saturday's $75,000 Restricted Maiden event over the Polytrack 1,600m has prompted trainer David Kok to think big.
Kok said he was not sure about running his Australian-bred in the first leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Series - the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint over 1,200m on June 27. But his charge would go for the second leg - the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic over 1,400m on July 18.
"This horse has plenty of speed and is a class above this lot. He's more of a 1,400m to a mile type of horse. We'll see how it goes," added Kok, who co-owns the bay gelding by Real Impact, a son of eight-time Japan champion sire Deep Impact.
Real Efecto had shown promise with two fourths (over the Poly 1,000m and 1,100m), a second and a third (over 1,400m on turf) from his first four starts.
Kok was quietly confident of winning Saturday's assignment after his charge trialled very well on Feb 23 with race-jockey Vlad Duric astride.
The four-time champion, who missed the last three meetings because of a throat issue, jumped Real Efecto out swiftly to lead, covered by Oud Wood on his outside .
He led by about half a length at the backstraight and gradually increased his advantage.
Once he saw daylight at the top of the straight, Duric said "giddy'up" and his mount bounded clear, although he reckoned the horse overraced a bit.
The Tim Fitzsimmons-trained Ace Sovereign made a late bid under jockey John Powell but the winner was safely home by 23/4 lengths.
Real Efecto, who was wearing pacifiers for the first time, clocked 1min 39.59sec.
"He's still learning. He's a big raw horse. With more racing, he will learn to settle better," said Duric.
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