Fairway's Turf Online

Spanish Bay bags Saas Fee Stakes

SINGAPORE: Oct 16. 2016

SPANISH BAY (inside) holds off ALIBI to win the Saas Fee Stakes
- SNTC photo

SPANISH BAY notched his first group win since taking the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic in May last year when successful in the Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes at Kranji here today.

But the win was only confirmed in the stewards' room when the rider of the second-placed ALIBI filed a protest for alleged interference.

Mauritian jockey Nooresh Juglall got the nod to ride the Nadeem five-year-old instead of the gelding's regular rider Shafiq Rizuan because the latter's mother-in-law is a part-owner of ALIBI and had to sit out the 1400m race.

Juglall seized his opportunity to send SPANISH BAY to the front and then had to work hard to keep his lead till the end, winning by a neck.

"SPANISH BAY IS a specialist over the 1400m and Nooresh gave him a great ride controlling the pace upfront. I do feel for Shafiq as he couldn’t ride him, but at the same time, Nooresh has proven to be more than a capable replacement," said trainer James Peters.

This is the Englishman's second group winner after TITANIUM gave the first-season trainer his first in the Group 2 Stewards' Cup last May.

SPANISH BAY has now won seven times from 23 starts.

RESULTS AT A GLANCE: Tote No / Horse / Trainer / Jockey / Position

1	KRANJI STAKES D, DIV 2 - 1600M
1	NORTHERN KNIGHT	M Walker	M Nunes	1
	(5 b.nz.g Sir Percy - Pesky by Paris Opera)
8	Easy Dragon	D Meagher	D Beasley	2
6	Star Strike	M Walker	R Shafiq	3
9	Swift	HW Tan	T See	4

2	INITIATION - 1100M (POLYTRACK)
9	CAVATINA	D Koh	Woodworth	1
	(3 b.a.g Canford Cliffs - Optimizing by Exceed And Excel)
6	Redmayne	L Laxon	G Boss	2
3	Jacks Secret	M Walker	R Shafiq	3
1	Libeccio	S Gray	V Duric	4

3	CLASS 5, DIV 2 - 1200M
6	SUPERTEN	S Yeoh	MM Firdaus	1
	(4 b.a.h Testa Rossa - Blue Fairy Wren by Delago Brom)
5	Exciting Prospect	D Kok	G Boss	2
3	Destiny Knight	S Gray	I Amirul	3
9	Highlight	D Hill	A Munro	4

4	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1200M
2	BIG MAN	S Baertschiger	J Powell	1
	(4 br.nz.g Alamosa - Dr Klaire by Flying Spur)
4	Absolute Miracle	HW Tan	D Beasley	2
9	In Bocca Al Lupo	H Takaoka	A Munro	3
1	Nazir	M Walker	Z Syed	4

5	CLASS 5, DIV 1 - 1200M
10	BIMALA	D Hill	CC Wong	1
	(6 b.a.m Bernardini - Danapali by Danehill)
4	Happy Saga	HW Tan	O Placais	2
2	Silver Power	CT Kuah	D David	3
13	Pretty Elusive	M Walker	R Shafiq	4

6	BENCHMARK 67 - 1000M (POLYTRACK)
2	NOVA SWISS	HW Tan	M Nunes	1
	(3 ch.nz.g Swiss Ace - Asciano Miss by Jet Spur)
9	Host The Nation	ZL Mok	Saifudin	2
6	Elise	Khoo	Woodworth	3
7	Pure Justice	M Walker	V Duric	4

7	CLASS 3 - 1200M
6	DIVIDED HOUSE	C Brown	CW Brown	1
	(5 b.a.m I Am Invincible - Boston by Zoffany)
4	Al Green	S Gray	V Duric	2
9	Golden Sword	C Brown	CC Wong	3
3	Justice Day	M Clements	M Nunes	4

8	CLASS 5 - 1000M (POLYTRACK)
7	INFERMO	M Yusof	D Beasley	1
	(6 ch.a.g Henny Hughes - Jobhabai by Danewin)
8	Rory	HK Tan	Woodworth	2
2	Invincible Man	Khoo	S Shafrizal	3
9	Barnburgh Lad	D Koh	CC Wong	4

9	SAAS FEE STAKES
9	SINGAPORE GROUP 3 (CW) - 1400M
2	SPANISH BAY	J Peters	N Juglall	1
	(5 b.a.g Nadeem - Belle Jest by Rory's Jester)
14	Alibi	M Clements	D David	2
12	Nova Strike	HW Tan	M Nunes	3
13	Magnum	J Peters	CW Brown	4

10	KRANJI STAKES D, DIV 1 - 1600M
10	GLORIOUS PROSPECT	L Laxon	B Vorster	1
	(5 b.nz.g Alamosa - Akris by Zabeel)
1	Moment Of Justice	M Walker	M Nunes	2
2	Peer Gynt	D Koh	CC Wong	3
7	Eclair Fiesta	D Meagher	D Beasley	4

11	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1200M
4	LIM'S SAMURAI	L Laxon	D Beasley	1
	(3 b.j.g Samurai Heart - Toho Queen by Mejiro McQueen)
8	Heavenly Hand	H Takaoka	A Munro	2
1	Mighty Conqueror	M Walker	Azhar	3
2	Ahmar	M Walker	R Shafiq	4