Trainer Hill has an interesting one in Parador
Pick of the action from historic Tuesday night of racing at the Kranji Racecourse
Trainer David Hill and the Godfather Racing Stable could have a ton of fun with Parador in the season ahead.
The three-year-old fairly bamboozled his rivals in yesterday's Restricted Maiden sprint over the 1,400m and, when the dust had settled, he had left the favourite Kranji Gold ruing what could have been a breakthrough victory.
Ridden a great race by Ryan Curatolo - who, incidentally is building up a sizeable fan base at Kranji - Parador was overlooked by punters on course but the moment he cleared the chute, you had the impression he would run a good race.
Kept together nearest the paint and never further than fourth, Curatolo made sure the leading pair of Kranji Gold and Ayuthaya were always within striking distance.
However, that spot near the paint almost landed him in a spot of trouble because, when push came to shove at the 200m mark, he looked snookered. That was where and when Curatolo earned his riding fees.
Peeling him out, he went after Kranji Gold, who was already being shouted the winner.
Urging his mount into overdrive, Parador was up to the challenge and, with the finish within sniffing distance, the Hill-trained runner collared the leader to win by a head.
My Money stayed on for third, bumping the well-backed Ayuthaya into fourth.
A bargain buy at $22,000 as a two-year-old, Parador has now got that all-important "1" to add to the 2, 3 and 4 which dogged him in the season gone by.
For those who kept the faith with the chestnut who finished second to The Odds in October, they were rewarded with a neat $49 payout on the win tote.
As for Kranji Gold, he will live to fight another day - and, on yesterday's show, that elusive victory could come at his very next start.
As if it is any consolation to Kranji Gold's rider Michael Rodd, it was in the very next race that another favourite got beaten after leading and being hailed the winner.
We're talking about Amazing Man who was caught and clobbered by Dalgety in Race 3.
After sharing the lead with Masurao in the early part of the 1,600m event, Amazing Man shot clear at the top of the straight.
Dalgety, the mount of Glen Boss, was still holding fifth spot.
However, when Boss let the four-year-old loose at the 300m mark, there was no question that he was the horse you wanted to be on.
To his credit, Amazing Man (S Noh) tried to make a go of it but Dalgety was just too smart.
A winner at Sandown in April last year, Dalgety would clear away and eventually put four-and-a-half-lengths between himself and the nearest also-ran.
Backed down from $84 to $47, it was an ample payout for his followers and for his owners, Lucky Stable, who seem to be venturing into the 2018 season with a host of young, exciting horses.
But the celebrations at the Steven Burridge camp would begin later in the day when rookie rider Simon Kok won on another Burridge-trained horse in Race 7.
It was Kok's first day of racing and those front-running tactics on Autumn Rush made it impossible for any of his rivals to mount anything which resembled a challenge.
Kok, who will turn 23 in March, had been with Burridge for about four months.
Also on hand to see the youngster get his first winner were his parents who came all the way from Ipoh in Malaysia to cheer home their son.
What a moment it must have been for the Kok family. Congratulations.
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