Mighty Glengallon

Trainer Tan Kah Soon's newbie overcomes widest draw to score dream win and pay $73

Glengallon proving too good first time out with a runaway victory in the $85,000 Restricted Maiden (1) event over the Polytrack 1,000m in Race 2 at Kranji last night.
Glengallon proving too good first time out with a runaway victory in the $85,000 Restricted Maiden (1) event over the Polytrack 1,000m in Race 2 at Kranji last night. ST PHOTO: SALWA SUANDI

When trial winner Glengallon drew the widest gate in the field of 12, trainer Tan Kah Soon's confidence level must have gone down a few notches.

But the newcomer and $73 outsider overcame the setback with his high cruising speed to ride shotgun with the leader and then motored home to score a victory that suggested more is to come.

Racecaller Nicholas Child said Tan has unearthed a pretty handy type who is "destined for better and bigger things". One could not help but agree, judging by the way Glengallon whitewashed his rivals.

Ridden by New Zealand jockey Craig Grylls, Glengallon took the $85,000 Restricted Maiden (1) event over the flying 1,000m on the Polytrack in Race 2 at Kranji yesterday by 21/2 lengths from the fast-finishing Reign in 59.45sec.

One of the first to jump, Glengallon surged up at a rate of knots to cover the leader Navagio on settling down. The $9 favourite Grand Choice, who was resuming since his debut on Dec 1 last year, was parked in the box-seat third by jockey Barend Vorster. Then came My Win, Qiji Flyer and Evil Roadster.

Glengallon raced up to eyeball Navagio on straightening and then cruised to the front. From there, he travelled in total isolation and galloped to the post with little persuasion from his rider.

Trainer Tan reckoned Glengallon possesses a lot of natural ability. He credited his apprentice A Syahir, who is Glengallon's regular trackwork partner, for keeping the horse nice and calm, and Grylls for executing a job well done.

"Yeah, you know, he's got a lot of natural ability, really. Craig has done very well on him in two trials, just let him enjoy it and credit must go to Syahir. He rides him every morning, keeps him very quiet, which we want him to do," said Tan.

"We tried not to really set him alight. Before this race, we were a bit worried that he gets a bit keen in his race. We don't want him to do that, so we thought the 1,000m would be fine.

"But, when we got the draw, we were a bit concerned, but anyway he's done very well, so let's see where he goes from here and see how he pulls up."

Grylls agreed with racecaller-cum-presenter Thomas Wood that the Ascot Stable-owned Glengallon has "a decent engine" and that the three-year-old son of Highly Recommended could handle a longer distance.

"Yes, he does," said Grylls. "He had to do it a little hard from the wide draw. He sort of jumped really good and crossed in easily enough and travelled really good.

"You know, his last trial, which he won, he sort of flattened out and felt as though he hadn't got much more, but he really has got a high cruising speed, so I think he'll get more distance."

Jockey Michael Rodd was in sizzling form last night, bagging a hat-trick from three rides - Libeccio ($16) in Race 3, Tesoro Privado ($8) in Race 4 and Lonhro Gold ($9) in Race 5. His other nominated ride Nowyousee was scratched.


Friday's South Africa results Early Sunday Singapore scratchings

RACE 1

1st 2 Super Socks ($7-$5.10)

2nd 1 Ex Nihilo ($8)

3rd 6 Pollymania (No 3rd dividend)

4th 4 Western Rock

Forecast $3

Place Forecast Refund

Tierce $56

Trio $21

Quartet $150

Scratching: 7 Press Release

RACE 2

1st 9 Green Sea ($9-$5.10)

2nd 7 Dettie ($22)

3rd 1 Angioletta ($9)

4th 6 Destiny's Child

Forecast $37

Place Forecast (7-9) $15, (1-9) $6, (1-7) $29

Tierce $199

Trio $49

Quartet No winner ($436 jackpot carried forward to next race)

Scratching: 4 Call Me Blue

RACE 3

1st 8 Light As A Feather ($36-$14)

2nd 3 Zalika ($5.10)

3rd 13 Petipa ($7)

4th 7 Fifth Of May

Forecast $12

Place Forecast (3-8) $6, (8-13) $10, (3-13) $6

Tierce $514

Trio $22

Quartet No winner ($564 carried forward)

Scratchings: 1 Straw Rum, 2 Money Buys Love, 10 Yes No Maybe

RACE 4

1st 11 Bikini Model ($51-$15)

2nd 9 Three Times A Lady ($16)

3rd 10 Sheema ($22)

4th 12 Joking Dice

Forecast $206

Place Forecast (9-11) $57, (10-11) $55, (9-10) $49

Tierce No winner ($2,550 carried forward)

Trio $320

Quartet No winner ($764 carried forward)

Scratchings: 8 Jungle Fairy, 17 One Dimension, 18 Corker

RACE 5

1st 8 Free Agent ($66-$15)

2nd 5 Prospect Strike ($28)

3rd 4 Carbon Offset ($23)

4th 6 Paper Town

Forecast $586

Place Forecast (5-8) $113, (4-8) $27, (4-5) $104

Tierce $5,978

Trio $1,404

Quartet No winner ($3,550 carried forward)

RACE 6

1st 1 Beataboutthebush ($11-$7)

2nd 12 Smokey Affair ($39)

3rd 9 Maverick Girl ($20)

4th 7 Red Granite

Forecast $156

Place Forecast (1-12) $41, (1-9) $12, (9-12) $79

Tierce $3,364

Trio $1,314

Quartet No winner ($5,552 carried forward)

RACE 7

1st 3 Starflash ($91-$24)

2nd 5 Le Grand Rouge ($12)

3rd 4 Zevenastic ($5.10)

4th 7 Make It Count

Forecast $126

Place Forecast (3-5) $31, (3-4) $13, (4-5) $9

Tierce $1,055

Trio $44

Quartet $12,314

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 21, 2018, with the headline Mighty Glengallon. Subscribe