Favourite and longshot backers must have picked up some winnings at Kranji in the first two races on Friday night when a top fancy and an outsider landed the spoils.
After the two $14 joint favourites Pasha Khan and Hearts filled the first two places in the opening event, the $35,000 Maiden race over 1000m, a huge upset was to follow in the $65,000 Restricted Maiden (2 & 3YO) race over 1200m when $200 pop Silveron Warrior came swooping down the outside to defeat another roughie, $245 shot Code Red (Subramaniam Anandan) by a length.
After enjoying a soft lead, Code Red looked home and hosed when he pinched two lengths at the 200m, but he had no answer when the Leslie Khoo-trained debutant Silveron Warrior (Muhd Firdaus) came from a midfield spot with a powerful turn of foot inside the last 600m.
Silveron Warrier finishes best to give Muhd Firdaus a welcome win, picture Singapore Turf Club
American Gladiator (Ivaldo Santana, $17) ran third another head away while the other well-backed horse, $15 favourite Pioneer Seven (Joao Moreira) proved a costly failure by running last.
Khoo said he had expected a forward run from Silveron Warrior, who is raced by the same connections behind handy middle-distance performer Silveron Wings (prepared by Dr Yeoh Kheng Chye), but was a little taken by surprise by the win.
“He has worked okay and I thought he could run a place but not win,” said Khoo.
“He was not 100% fit, but I think he was able to win because he was not in a very strong field.”
Firdaus said the instructions to lead were quickly dismissed when he found himself in midfield as they went battle stations in front.
“I was told to lead but the pace was too quick for him. I decided to take a sit instead,” said Firdaus who was at his fifth win for the year.
“He was travelling well and responded to my riding in the home straight. I didn’t want to use the stick too much as he’s at his first run, but in the end, he was giving his best when I used it on him.”
Silveron Warrior, who cost only NZ$21,000 as a two-year-old, is by Danehill sire Spartacus out of the Elnadim mare Miss Muga.