Swiss Ace’s son January continued his impressive progression to become his sire’s latest stakes winner following success in the Listed Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint over 1200 metres.
The Westbury Stud graduate led home a memorable trifecta for trainer Donna Logan to post the third victory of his eight-start career and his genuine nature is highlighted by a further five minor placings.
Logan was understandably delighted with the outcome and heaped praise on winning jockey Simon Kok.
“I said pre-race that the jockey who gave the best ride would win,” she told the Singapore Turf Club website.
“Simon rode him a treat. I pictured him three-back on the fence and emphasised that the best way home was the shortest route. You can’t win these races going wide in Singapore.
“It worked out beautifully. The rain helped, Simon said the runners out front were struggling on the shifting track, and when he hit the front at the furlong, I knew he wouldn’t get beaten.”
Logan purchased January, who was bred by Gerry Harvey, out of Westbury’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft.
“I’m thrilled for the owners. I bought him for Falcon (Racing No 7) Stable for $75,000 in 2021 and I’m just rapt and he’s already paid his way,” she said.
He is a son of the Belong To Me mare Musically, who produced another colt to Swiss Ace last season, and she is the dam of six winners and is a half-sister to the G2 Yallambee Classic winner Magically.
January will make his next appearance in the Singapore 3YO Classic over 1400 metres and then step up to a mile in the Singapore Guineas.
Successful jockey Kok believes the gelding will only get better over longer trips.
“It was a great effort by Donna to have him fresh to win over this trip as he will be better over 1400m and even the mile,” he said.
“Winning for the owners is special too. I had other choices, but they have been so nice to me so I was more than happy to ride January and it worked out really well.
“I thought it would be too sharp for him today, but when I got a clear run and I hadn’t even pulled the whip, I knew he was going to win.”
Southern move suits Zoulander
A change of environment continues to bring out the best in Zoustar’s son Zoulander.
The Harvey-bred gelding has won three races and posted six placings since joining Michael and Matthew Pitman’s Riccarton stable after beginning his career with Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.
Zoulander added to his winning tally at Riverton on Easter Monday after rushing home to finish runner-up on the opening day of the southern fixture.
He was originally bought out of Westbury’s draft at Karaka in 2019 by the Rogersons for $240,000 and is a son of the Exceed And Excel mare Vedex.
From the family of Group 1 winners Linton, Santa Monica and Sharvasti, Vedex has an unraced juvenile filly by Swiss Ace, a yearling daughter of Telperion and produced a colt by Swiss Ace last season and is in foal to Reliable Man.
Lotte claims top honours
Telperion mare Go Lotte had to overcome a chequered run in the straight at Riverton on Easter Saturday to claim the third victory of her career.
The Gerry Harvey-bred four-year-old found clear air in the closing stages of the Rating 76 contest and thundered home in the hands of apprentice Savish Khetoo to get in the deciding stride at the end of 1200 metres.
Trained on the course by part-owner Kelvin Tyler and his daughter Aimee, Go Lotte’s good-looking half-sister by Tarzino will be offered at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in late May.
They are out of the Red Giant mare Ashima, who is a granddaughter of the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Jezabeel.
No Bouquet credited Telperion with another Easter winner at Riverton when the Jo-Anne Gordon-trained mare belatedly broke her maiden over 1200 metres on Sunday.
It was a deserved victory as she had previously finished in the top three nine times, including a third placing in last season’s Listed Southland Guineas.