A set of world-famous racing colours will race for the first time at Kranji this Sunday.
In the second race, the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200m, debutant Fadaboy will step out in the red and yellow-striped, blue sleeved jersey of Australian champion galloper Nature Strip.
Already crowned the Australian Racehorse of the Year two seasons back, the Chris Waller-trained son of Nicconi recently leapt to second place in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings shortly after his romp in Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot last month.
Also a winner of the world’s richest turf race, The Everest, and a triple-winner of the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (2020 to 2022), Nature Strip is owned by a trans-Tasman syndicate. One of them is New Zealand businessman Patrick Harrison, who bought Fadaboy (previously known as Tightwad) as a first foray for the syndicate into the Singapore market.
The three-year-old son of Deep Field ran in two barrier trials, winning the first and running a close third to one of Sunday’s opponents, Ejaz, in the second one last Thursday. He will be partnered by multiple Group 1-winning jockey Blake Shinn and will jump from gate eight on debut.
Despite the Nature Strip hype hanging over that Kranji debut, Logan is using that first run more as a guide towards his future endeavours.
“I was pleased with his trials, but he still has a lot of learning to do,” said the Kiwi handler.
“He’s still quite inexperienced, though he’s a strong and good-doing horse. Also, he gets fat quickly, so we do need to put a bit of work into him.
“Blake told me (after the second trial) that there will be a lot of improvement to come out from him. So it isn’t about going out to win the race at his first start, but more to educate him.
“Moreover, he’s turning four come August 1 (as with all Southern Hemisphere-breds), so this is the last chance to run him in a Restricted Maiden (race).”
The affable trainer revealed that she bought Fadaboy off the back of one trial win in Randwick, Sydney for her good friend Harrison, but Singapore was not where he was headed initially.
“I bought him off the Inglis Digital (Sale) last year for Patrick, and at A$75,000 for a trial winner (October 29), he’s a very good buy,” said Logan.
“He then got the other owners to buy in shares for Fadaboy, and because their nickname for each other is ‘fadaboy’, so that was also how his name came about.
“Patrick used to own a good horse in Promise Keeper (with brother Terry), who was trained by Stephen Gray, so he’s no stranger to racing in Singapore.
“He’s (Fadaboy) vetted 100% clean and actually passed the vet exam for Hong Kong, but because he was 10 kilos light (under the minimum requirement), so we were fortunate enough to have him here.”
Logan also has Rocky (x El Roca), who ran third on debut, and a new two-year-old in Luxury Brand (x Charm Spirit) in the same race. The latter is syndicated under the Bax Racing Stable through ex-New Zealand supermodel Kylie Bax, better remembered as the breeder of the great Better Than Ever.
Carrying the ‘luxury’ weight of 50kgs courtesy of his juvenile status, Luxury Brand has a big advantage over his three-year-old opponents (on 57kgs) in the field, but from barrier nine, Logan does not expect the one-time trial winner (from two) to be doing all the work upfront.
“He also ran well in two trials and 2YOs get a big weight relief in this race,” she said.
“(Apprentice jockey) Hakim (Kamaruddin)’s riding him and he’ll claim one and carry 49kilos. (Jockey) Jake (Bayliss) rode him in two trials, but he flew home last night because his grandmother’s seriously ill.
“I used to train Danzdanzdance for Kylie, a three-year-old grey filly in New Zealand. So, she asked me about putting a syndicate together and racing this one here.
“He’s (Luxury Brand) come up and done everything right, so he should give them a lot of fun in Singapore.
“Barrier nine and it’s on the Long Course this time, we don’t want to be crazy. Sure if he puts himself up there naturally, but we’re happy to just sit behind the speed if it’s on.
“Rocky got a bit lost on the turn at his last start (third to Gold Cut in an Open Maiden race over the 1000m on July 2), but he made up a lot of ground in the end.
“He’ll improve, too. What’s more important is that these horses come out of the races unscathed.”
Owned by Fortuna NZ Racing Stable, Rocky will jump from barrier four and will have the in-form apprentice jockey Yusoff Fadzli back aboard.
– Singapore Turf Club
