Kuah’s first in, last out, both win
Kuah Cheng Tee wanted to end his training career the same way he started it – on a winning note.
The 49-year-old Singaporean was putting all his eggs in one basket, though. Ciango was his one and only runner at the Grand Singapore Gold Cup day on Oct 5, in Race 1, the $45,000 William Henry Macleod Read Cup (1,200m), named after Singapore horse racing’s founder.
Kuah, who is part of an elite band of trainers to win at his very first entry – Smart Fortune on April 8, 2016 – did loop the loop.
Ciango, an American-bred – Kuah’s favourite breed – was the one who shouldered the huge responsibility. With Bruno Queiroz up, the More Than Ready entire certainly did not shirk it.
“This is a special day. My first entry, my first winner, today only one runner, also my last winner at this last day,” said Kuah, who is retiring from training but will switch to horse trading.
“I prepared Ciango for only this race and was quite confident. He was in very good form.
“I wanted to thank our founder William Macleod at the TV interview, but I was so blur I forgot.”
Ciango brings Kuah’s tally to a final score of 117 winners. Save for his second year in 2017 when Forever Young gave him his only two big-race wins, including the Group 1 Singapore Guineas, he has kept a low profile.
But, ironically in this final season, he has chalked up his best strike rate (11.8 per cent) since.
“My horses were running well. It’s the end of the road as a trainer, but life goes on,” he said.
Michael Lee
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