21 Jan 2018
Promising Power three-year-old Mr Clint is fast becoming one of trainer Lee Freedman’s personal favourites after he downed a rather handy field in the $60,000 Class 4 Premier race over 1400m at Kranji on Sunday.
Giving a little nod to veteran trainer Bruce Marsh, the Australian mentor said he was told by his learned friend it was quite a feat for a three-year-old to beat older rivals so early in their career in Singapore.
Drawn off the track, the Sir Patrick and Justine, Lady Hogan-bred son of Cambridge Stud sire Power did not enjoy the most auspicious of trips plying a path outside the leader Mr Mosa for rider Craig Grylls from the start, but sheer grit saw him outsprint his eight rivals inside the last 300m.
Mr Clint (Craig Grylls) keeps finding to finish ahead of his rivals.
The winning time was 1:21.97secs for the 1400m on the Long Course.
“Bruce Marsh, my mentor here, told me it is difficult for a three-year-old to beat older horses at this time of the year,” said Freedman, not without some cheek.
“He also ran very good time, so it’s all good for the three-year-old series coming up. He had a bad draw and he wore blinkers for the first time. So I told Craig to ride him like he was the best horse. I don’t think that’s quite the way to ride him, but he’s won and that’s the most important.”
The Kiwi jockey was delighted he was able to reunite with the horse he rode and gave the Australian Hall of Fame trainer his first Singapore winner last September.
“I rode him like he was the best horse in the field,” said Grylls.
“He jumped really good and he travelled good coming into the straight. The challenges came on the outside but he dug deep and hit the line real hard.”
Never worse than third in five starts, Mr Clint was bringing up his second win which has edged his takings even closer to the $100,000 mark for the Oscar Racing Stable. - Singapore Turf Club