Spieth Heroine nets 1st goal for Peters

James Peters went to the races a little bleary-eyed on July 7, but still had a spring in his step for two good reasons.

On the night before, the British trainer burned the midnight oil to watch his England team qualify on penalties for the Euro 2024 semi-finals in Germany.

Closer to home at Kranji the next day, he was hoping to keep the feelgood factor going with his small team of seven horses, especially for $11 favourite Spieth Heroine, and to a lesser extent, Onemorefortheroad.

The Spieth filly, who had been threatening to open her account lately, finally got onto the scoreboard with a first success in the $20,000 Maiden race (1,400m).

For good measure, Peters rang up a training double with Onemorefortheroad (Bruno Queiroz, $19) in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 1 (1,400m) five races later.

A patient rail-hugging ride in midfield from regular partner Krisna Thangamani was highly instrumental to Spieth Heroine’s breakthrough.

At the top of the straight, she had already plotted a wider path, but Krisna waited for a couple more strides before peeling off the widest towards clear daylight.

In a few bounds, Spieth Heroine asserted her superiority to beat race-leader Bravo Kid (Saifudin Ismail) by 1½ lengths.

Lim’s Teton (Marc Lerner) ran third another two lengths away, with Spieth Heroine’s stablemate Pride Of Love (Carlos Henrique) fourth a further 2¼ lengths away.

The winning time was 1min 23.04sec for the 1,400m on the long course.

“It was a late night watching England go through this morning, but it was well worth it,” said Peters.

If his heart survived the nerve-racking 5-3 penalty shoot-out, it was given another serious workout when Spieth Heroine actually looked set for another scoreless sheet.

Three pairs back after jumping from barrier No. 1, the three-year-old owed much of his escape to the vastly improved Krisna.

“I’m not a massive fan of barrier No. 1, and she had a lot of horses around her,” said Peters.

“But Krisna waited and peeled her into clear running at the right time. This guy has improved so much as a jockey, it was another brilliant ride from him.”

The Malaysian jockey, who has now partnered Spieth Heroine to 10 of her 15 starts, said it was more his confidence in the filly that won the race.

“I wasn’t too worried she was on the fence in midfield. I knew there weren’t many strong horses who could beat her,” he said.

“She can go over 1,600m-1,800m in the the future.”

A notable gear change might have helped, but Peters said natural progression was the main ingredient to the winning formula.

“The winkers did help a bit, but she still tends to look around and wander around, and she did the same today,” he said.

“But she’s been running well, she’s been knocking on the door. It was an overdue win, and this was the perfect race for her.

“I’ll look for something like a Class 5 over 1,600m next as she’s raced over the mile before.”

Peters does not train a stable of champions, but has shown he can deliver with the tools in the box.

More than two-thirds of his 28 horses have won at least once, with Spieth Heroine the latest to join the club.

Even recent stable transfers suddenly find a new lease of life. Onemorefortheroad is a Proisir five-year-old who had only one win on the board when racing 16 times as Gemilang for ex-Kranji trainer Stephen Gray, but has now knocked in two from two for Peters in rapidfire succession.

New recruit Pride Of Love may keep the healthy strike rate up, too.

“That was her best run to-date. She can still improve,” said Peters of the new Toast Trusts transfer, who was picking up her first place cheque in 10 starts.

“She can overrace. So, we’ve played around with her gear, she had the pacifiers on today.”

The Pride Of Dubai three-year-old was transferred to Peters alongside the other Toast Trusts Stable’s He’s My Halo, after trainer Stephen Crutchley returned to New Zealand in March.

Sweet N Sour and March Mission are now with Daniel Meagher, while the green-and-black silks’ Group winner Fame Star is retired.

Their rising star Silo has moved to Hong Kong with trainer Mark Newnham, but has yet to face the starter there.

manyan@sph.com.sg