Fairway's Turf Online

Infantry battles to Derby success

SINGAPORE: Jul 9, 2017

William Pike steering CHAIRMAN to victory for his first Singapore win
- SNTC photo

Last year's champion trainer Alwin Tan landed his first Singapore Derby when INFANTRY battled to victory in the Singapore Group 1 showpiece at Kranji here today.

Equally ecstatic over the success was winning jockey Manoel Nunes who had already won a Derby with SPALATO in 2014.

"When I won on Spalato, he was the clear-cut favourite. Don’t get me wrong, it was special as it was my first Derby, but this second Derby is even more meaningful because I just came back from injury," said Nunes, three-time Singapore champion jockey.

"Spalato was the horse to beat and he won easily, but there were many question marks over Infantry going into the race, whether he can run the trip, the others are better than him and all that. But I’ve been very confident all along as I could feel he was in the best form of his life."

"This is the biggest race I’ve ever won. I can’t find words to describe how I’m feeling now," said trainer Tan.

Nunes tucked INFANTRY on the rails just off the pace and pounced at the top of the straight. He went on to win by one length with LIM'S SAMURAI putting in a late bid for second.

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

1	HELLO STOCKHOLM STAKES
1	OPEN MAIDEN - 1400M
8	FAREES	S Baertschiger	J Powell	1
	(3 ch.a.g Foxwedge - Rose Of Cimmaron by Bite The Bullet)
4	Happy Baby	HW Tan	D David	2
2	Amiability	S Gray	V Duric	3
5	Galileo's Approach	S Baertschiger	Kellady	4

2	HELLO OSLO STAKES
2	KRANJI STAKES D, DIV 1 - 1200M
7	MR MOSA	S Gray	D David	1
	(5 br.nz.g Alamosa - Elegant Emerald by Unbridled's Song)
4	Lim's Greeting	S Burridge	G Boss	2
2	Rich Fortune	HW Tan	M Nunes	3
1	Tales Of Summer	C Brown	K Nuh	4

3	HELLO MOSCOW STAKES
3	CLASS 4, DIV 2 - 1400M
2	LIM'S CASINO	S Burridge	V Duric	1
	(4 b.a.g Casino Prince - Kurotaka by Black Hawk)
4	Gold Crown	C Brown	M Rodd	2
1	Keepitup	D Kok	M Nunes	3
5	Leon	M Clements	G Boss	4

4	HELLO AUCKLAND STAKES
4	RESTRICTED MAIDEN - 1200M
5	LIM'S REGARD	M Walker	G Boss	1
	(3 ch.nz.g Red Giant - Celtic Class by Spectrum)
4	Boy Wonder	L Laxon	M Nunes	2
8	Silver Sky	D Meagher	Saifudin	3
1	Redoubt	R Le Grange	N Juglall	4

5	HELLO NEW YORK STAKES
5	KRANJI STAKES C - 2000M
7	CHAIRMAN	L Laxon	W Pike	1
	(4 b.ir.g Galileo - A Z Warrior by Bernardini)
3	Iron Man	R Le Grange	N Juglall	2
9	Golazo	H Takaoka	D David	3
6	El Don	S Gray	G Boss	4

6	HELLO SRI LANKA STAKES
6	KRANJI STAKES D, DIV 2 - 1200M
9	DREAM COMES TRUE	D Meagher	D Beasley	1
	(3 b/br.nz.g Alamosa - Paint Me A Dream by Deputy Minister)
11	Stirling	L Laxon	Kellady	2
1	Ettijah	R Le Grange	Chavez	3
3	Star Strike	M Walker	V Duric	4

7	HELLO ZAGREB STAKES
7	KRANJI STAKES A - 1600M
6	BLUE SWEDE	S Baertschiger	G Boss	1
	(6 br.nz.g O'Reilly - Hooked Ona Feeling by Zabeel)
5	Perfect P	R Le Grange	CC Wong	2
3	Best Tothelign	S Baertschiger	J Powell	3
8	White Hunter	J Peters	A Munro	4

8	HELLO BRISBANE STAKES
8	BENCHMARK 67 - 1200M
2	KOLOMBIA	D Meagher	D Beasley	1
	(4 br.a.g All American - Aristocracy by Danehill)
11	Queen Roulette	Khoo	N Juglall	2
4	Classified	B Marsh	A Munro	3
1	Big Man	S Baertschiger	J Powell	4

9	EMIRATES SINGAPORE DERBY
9	SINGAPORE GROUP 1 (SW) - 2000M
2	INFANTRY	HW Tan	M Nunes	1
	(4 b.nz.g Tavistock - The Nightingale by Stravinsky)
9	Lim's Samurai	L Laxon	W Pike	2
4	Nova Strike	HW Tan	D David	3
1	Alibi	M Clements	G Boss	4

10	HELLO MELBOURNE STAKES
10	CLASS 3 - 1400M
11	MR CROWE	L Laxon	W Pike	1
	(4 b.nz.g Alamosa - Halfyaluck by Montjeu)
8	Battle Troy	D Koh	CC Wong	2
6	Guilty Pleasures	S Baertschiger	Kellady	3
4	Winning Cause	R Le Grange	N Juglall	4

11	HELLO ST PETERSBURG STAKES
11	CLASS 4, DIV 1 - 1400M
3	LIM'S REFORM	M Walker	R Zawari	1
	(5 b.nz.g O'Reilly - Pretty by Pins)
5	Magic City	L Laxon	M Nunes	2
4	Eclipse Splash	S Burridge	M Rodd	3
8	Target	D Meagher	D Beasley	4