Kok Earns First Group Success In Panasonic Kranji Mile

​A well-orchestrated pre-race battle plan saw trainer David Kok secure his first Group success when Cash Luck stole the Group 1 Panasonic Kranji Mile.

With no real high-calibre horses among his 40-odd strong stable, the former assistant to ex-Kranji trainer Charles Leck does not enjoy the same opportunities as the big guns in the feature races, but $105 shot Cash Luck turned giant-killer at the right time at the right place, courtesy of an astute choice of tactics hammered out between Kok and jockey Danny Beasley.

Half the battle was won when the Bradbury’s Luckfive-year-old, although not the best away, mustered speed as he was ridden positive out of barrier No 5 to quickly drop anchor outside noted pacesetter and $17 favourite Mr Big (Corey Brown). City Lad (Jose Verenzuela) was the next in line, but a wide gap away was two of the leading fancies, second-elect Stepitup (Manoel Nunes, $20) alongside Zac Spirit (Joao Moreira, $21) while Super Ninetyseven (Alan Munro, $23) was further adrift, ahead of just one runner.

Regarded as a query over the trip, former juvenile champion Mr Big made play with a steady tempo at the head of affairs, but with Cash Luck breathing down his neck every step of the way, it was not hard to second-guess Beasley’s intention was to test his stamina.

Turning for home, Mr Big was still holding sway with his usual courage, with Cash Luck and City Lad a notch behind, still in close attendance, while the backmarkers headed by Zac Spirit and Stepitup were finally getting revved up in a bid to bridge the yawning gap.

They did cut back the margin to a certain extent, but still faced a mammoth task ahead when Cash Luck went into overdrive at the 300m mark under Beasley’s strong urgings. City Lad stuck on gamely and kept applying the pressure while Zac Spirit seemed to peak on his run in the final 100m, but neither could muster a strong enough response to thwart Cash Luck, who had outfoxed and outstayed them thanks to a cleverly-devised strategy.

Kok said he was still in self-doubt over his charge’s ability to rise to the occasion minutes before the race, but when he saw the race unfolding as he had mentally crafted, his dream of a first Group win, let alone a Group 1 win, soon materialised into reality halfway up the Kranji straight.

“I was very happy with his barrier trial win last Tuesday, but before the race, I was still thinking if he was good enough to be Group material,” said Kok.

“We decided to go forward as I knew there was not much pace in the race. The plan was to sit behind Mr Big and attack him early as it was over the Short Course.

“When I saw my horse get past Mr Big and the other runners were still so far behind, that was when I became more confident we could win the race.

“This is a dream come true as I don’t get many chances in Group races. I’m very happy and excited I’ve won my first Group 1 race.

“I’d like to thank the owner for giving me this horse to train and I’d also like to thank all my boys for their hard work at the stable.”

Kok said he would see how Cash Luck pulls up before deciding if he was pressing on with the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) on October 27, but the Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup was on the other hand well and truly cast in stone, barring unforeseen circumstances.

“I’ll see how he pulls up as he had quite a tough race today,” said the 40-year-old trainer. “But he’s definitely running in the Gold Cup. He ran in it last year and finished seventh to Better Life.”

After carving out a relatively prolific career since his debut win as a two-year-old in one of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series races in 2011 when under the care of trainer Michael Freedman, the Northwest Racing Stable-owned gelding fully deserved a ‘black type’ reward to cap several bold attempts at Group level, none closer than his second to Super Easy in last year’s Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m).

“This is a horse I’ve had a lot to do during his days as a two-year-old with Michael Freedman and it’s funny I’ve come off and got back on him when it mattered the most,” said Beasley.

“I remember how I got suspended and Vlad (Duric) got the ride on him, but I was always involved in his early education, riding him in his trials. I then rode him in the Gold Cup last year, but I’ve seen how he has really improved since he went to David this year.

“I knew the ride in the Kranji Mile was up for grabs after Joao (Moreira) decided to ride Zac Spirit. When David rang me and asked me if I’d like to ride him in the Kranji Mile and eventually the Gold Cup, I said 100% I would love to.

“But I did tell him I would not be able to ride him in his trackwork as I was going back to Australia for 10 days. He said not to worry as his boys can do that and he was able to give him an easy trial last Tuesday.

“I knew Mr Big would be hard to beat if he gets his own way in front, especially on the Short Course. Corey dragged us into the race nicely, but I did put the pressure on him from the half-mile as I didn’t want him to kick off from us.

“I was respectful of the other horses as well, but when we went past Mr Big, I was not really worried about the others. He just kept hitting the line so strongly.

“It’s always nice to win a Group 1 race. It doesn’t matter which one and I’m really glad I’ve won this one here in Singapore.”

Cash Luck, who had two fruitless starts in Dubai last year, has now brought his flattering record to seven wins and four placings from 24 starts for stakes earnings that have now been boosted close to $750,000 for the Northwest Racing Stable.

Among his haul of domestic feature successes that now stands at 12, the Panasonic Kranji Mile is the second Group 1 win scored by Beasley in his six years spent at Kranji, but the first won on the track as the 2009 Group 1 Raffles Cup earned with Cheyenne Dancer was only made official after Big Maverick was disqualified a few months later.

Verenzuela who piloted City Lad to second place, was very pleased with the Desmond Koh-trained galloper’s gallant effort.

“He ran very well,” said Verenzuela. “I couldn’t believe it that the other jockeys were so far off us. I didn’t think we were going that quickly for the class of horse.”

Moreira, who was trying to notch a last Group 1 win at Kranji before he departs Singapore permanently to take up a long-term contract in Hong Kong next week, was one of the jockeys who acknowledged he may have been caught napping.

“I was very glad with his run,” said Moreira. “I said to the trainer (Cliff Brown) that I may have ridden him just a bit too far back. In hindsight maybe I should have been a bit closer to those in front.”