Mark Walker Lands His 1000th Career Winner In Singapore

With Hong Kong in recess and Group Ones hard to find in the Asian region at present, New Zealander Mark Walker provided a highlight by landing his 1000th career winner when My Tricia scored in Singapore.

Walker has been in Singapore for less than three years but currently leads the Singapore trainers’ premiership and his achievement came just two days after his elder statesman compatriate, Laurie Laxon, saddled up his 1000th winner in Singapore alone. By contrast, Laxon has been based in the Lion City since 2000 and there is little to achieve there that he does not already have on his resume.

Also on the Kranji card, the Rocket Man combination of trainer Pat Shaw and owner Fred Crabbia was twice in the winner’s circle, with improving stayer Cannon Hill and then with Rocket Man’s half brother, Shamardal three-year-old My Brother.

Japan racing is also in a lull as far as majors go – the next Group One there is the Sprinters Stakes at the end of September – and racing on the weekend featured an open Group Three mile at Chukyo, won by Fragarach, and the Hakodate Group Three Nisai Stakes for two-year-olds, won inappropriately in July, by Xmas.

Meanwhile top Hong Kong-based gallopers Ambitious Dragon and Military Attack have held their positions in a crowded world top ten listing after the latest round of international classifications released last week.

Both horses remained on joint-seventh place – the highest listing ever achieved by Hong Kong horses – rated 124.

The latest list included performances up to the first half of July, which saw a couple of well-credentialled northern hemisphere gallopers to leapfrog their way up the ladder.

American star Fort Larned (rated 126) was a new inclusion on joint third place, while British horse Al Kazeem’s four straight wins put him into the list level with six others on 124.

By Nathan Mody

 

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