Shane's 100th win

loon@sph.com.sg

The promising FAALTLESS lived up to his trial and track form to give trainer Shane "Stretch" Baertschiger a new milestone in his Kranji career yesterday.

The three-year-old's all-the-way victory, despite a slow start, was Baertschiger's 100th win since he took over from his father Don in 2012.

He saddled 44 winners in his first season and 49 last year.

Faaltless was his seventh winner this season.

Jockey Danny Beasley allowed the New Zealand-bred, who had two wins and a second from three other starts, to lead after cruising up beautifully in the Graduation event over 1,200m on turf over the long course.

At the top of the straight, he just niggled his mount a little to keep it going and then gave it a couple of reminders with the whip at the 200m mark to beat the late-closing Room For Excuse.

Baertschiger was happy with the quick century.

He said: "I don't have ambitions and I couldn't have thought I got a hundred winners within two years.

GREAT START

"It's been a great start, a lot of support from owners and good staff, and let's hope it continues."

It was Faaltless' first start since Oct 4, when he lost to Emperor Max, who has since franked the form with three straight wins.

Said Baertschiger: "I had him pretty wound up. He had two trials, only concern was first time on the turf but 95 per cent of horses like the turf.

"It was probably not the way to ride him but there was no choice.

"He was a bit slow to go, he went to the front and I thought it was a good win - long course 1,200m first-up."

In the pipeline now is the $250,000 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint on March 30. The Group 3 feature is the first leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.

In paying tribute to Baertschiger, Beasley said: "He's done a great job in such a short time in training. I think a hundred winners is a great effort, so congratulations to him and this is little little horse."