What's New gets Derby hurdle
Brown's Silver Bowl-Stewards' Cup heroine drawn gate 14 in Sunday's $1 million Group 1 feature
What's New's bid to capture all three legs of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge has become a bit more challenging by drawing a wide barrier for Sunday's Singapore Derby.
When it came to the feature's only mare's turn for the luck of the draw yesterday at Bar Rouge Singapore in Swissotel The Stamfords, there were only four barrier numbers left - 4, 14, 17 and 19. The 19 horses on the board comprised 16 runners and three emergency acceptors.
It was a one-in-four chance to ballot the important last single-digit draw. What's New's trainer, Cliff Brown, went up the stage and picked one of the square red packets with the concealed gate number - and it was No. 14.
If there are no withdrawals from the capacity field, What's New will start from gate 13 in the $1 million Group 1 race over 1,800m at Kranji, as the third emergency acceptor, King's Speech, drew gate 8.
Brown's pair of reserves, last-start winner Threeandfourpence and Gold Strike, drew gates 17 and 18 respectively. The widest draw went to Glasgow.
What's New jumped from the inner-most barrier when she won the first leg of the 4YO series - the Group 3 Silver Bowl over 1,400m on June 9 - with champion South Australian apprentice Raquel Clark astride.
The New Zealand-bred mare then started from gate 12 in the second leg - the Group 2 Stewards' Cup over 1,600m on June 30 - but luck played a big part in her win. Jockey Ben Thompson managed to cross in beautifully and get an economical run.
What's New beat the Mark Walker-trained Sacred Croix on both occasions.
Thompson looked a bit disappointed with the wide berth, knowing his mount likes the inside run. But he praised What's New for her guts and resilience.
"In a perfect draw, it would have been closer to the fence, closer to the rail. But unfortunately not, you know," said the talented Australian rider.
"She ran fantastic in her last two starts and, hopefully, she can do the same on Sunday. It's a bit unfortunate from there, but I will ride her wherever she's happy, you know. Hopefully, she will run well for me again."
What's New has already secured a $50,000 bonus for winning two legs of the 4YO Challenge and the bonus will be $150,000 if she wins the Derby as well.
Sacred Croix, who pundits say will probably start favourite on the way he closed in on What's New in the Stewards' Cup, drew barrier 9.
The Mark Walker-trained Kiwi-bred jumped from gates 8 and 9 in the Silver Bowl and Stewards' Cup respectively.
His jockey, Benny Woodworth, was not going to lose sleep to be starting from the similar spot again.
"Not the best but not the worst," said the Dester Singapore Gold Cup-winning rider.
"It will be a fast race. I will probably be behind the leaders, around midfield. It looks like the 1,800m will be ideal for him."
Walker's other Derby contender, Beau Geste, drew gate 6, which pleased his co-owner Terry Lee of Fairdeal Stable.
"Good chance. Distance no problem. He'll probably travel third-fourth and kick away at the home turn. He should have won the last start," said Lee.
At his last start over 1,400m on June 28, Beau Geste was badly chopped off a run in the straight. He then flashed home second to Threeandfourpence.
Kranji's woman trainer Leticia Dragon was all smiles when her owner Miller Wun drew gate 7 for her first Derby runner, Nimble.
"He's working well. Happy with the draw. John (Powell) knows the horse well," she said.
On the 1,800m trip, she said: "That's something I've always been thinking about. But, looking at how he ran on in the Stewards' Cup, you know, you have to give him a chance."
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