Singapore swing for Dubai winners

I was pleased to see the final declarations for Singapore’s big International meeting at Kranji this Sunday, as the already top-class line-up of thoroughbred royalty is set to be joined by a few of Dubai’s very own equine aristocracy.

Sprint find of last season, Star Crowned, touched down in South-East Asia last Thursday and, accompanied by his work-rider Wajid Rafiq, the XPRESS Sprint winner was reported to have travelled well and is in great shape.

Weichong Marwing, his big-race jockey, is expected to get a feel for Rashed Bouresley’s charge this morning and if the South African rider’s international-winning record is anything to go by, the pair could be hard to catch.

On the same flight last week was the Adi Selveratnam-trained Salaam Dubai, who is set to take on his local rival in the same race.

Both speedsters will be bidding to bring some money home to Dubai rather than the other way round, and I applaud their handlers for running their stable stars instead of leaving them standing in their boxes during the long, hot summer here.

I still struggle to see why other locally-trained horses are not on the race course elsewhere during this time of the year.

Unlucky for some

I very much doubt Mike de Kock has ever been jump racing in England, but I thought that was about to change on Sunday where Lucky Find was in attendance on a scorching sunny afternoon.

OK, it wasn’t the Maktoum Challenge winner, but a slightly mediocre namesake trained by Mick Mullineaux, whose career record consists of a meagre second at Southwell in February.

Still, those unaware were at a loss to explain the poor run on the day, and indeed I heard a gentleman ask his race pal if the tall skinny man legging the jockey up was the famous South African handler, but was even more shocked, when the reply was a positive (in a Brummy accent) "yes"!

Take a well-earned rest

It was a hard life, but someone had to do it. At the grand old age of 27 (that’s older than me!) arguably the world’s best stallion, Sadler’s Wells, was retired from stud this week after a career off the course spanning 23 years. Trained by Vincent O’Brien in the 1980s, his exploits on and off the course have been legendary, and as his owner’s son said yesterday: "His legacy will live on through his sons and daughters and their sons and daughters."

Baby boomers

While on the breeding subject let us congratulate Mick, Zabeel Stables work rider, and Millennium Stables travelling head lass, Annette, on the birth of Amy, their healthy baby daughter. Being an expectant father myself I may come looking for tips.