‘A Smart Star in the right hands’

Trainer David Kok was feeling particularly vindicated after Smart Star came up trumps on July 7, especially with the choice of jockeys.

Smart Star has always been a horse the Singaporean handler had a lot of time for, but he had at times felt let down by the rides.

The most successful jockey on the Star Witness five-year-old had been Amirul Ismadi with three winning rides, but the Malaysian jockey does not ride for the stable any more.

Kok’s first choice had long been Manoel Nunes, whose Midas touch with difficult horses is well known.

But, either the five-time Singapore champion jockey was unavailable, or the owner Smart Bet Stable had already picked someone else.

Set on two different orbits, the two stars were finally aligned in the $50,000 Class 4 race (1,600m).

The $15 favourite quote mirrored how sanguine punters were as well, but to Kok, the best gauge was the sight of a Nunes in full control in mid-pack despite Smart Star’s usual antics.

“He’s a very difficult horse to ride as he lays in a lot. So many jockeys have tried, not many have succeeded,” said Kok.

“But though he was three wide and overracing as usual, I could see Nunes was on top of him. He’s got great hands.

“This horse also had some issues, but with a good ride today, he showed what he can do.

“I always wanted Nunes to ride him, but couldn’t get him. I finally got him, it made all the difference.”

Smothered up in seventh place as the quartet of Mesmerizing (Carlos Henrique), Green Star (Ryan Curatolo), Lim’s Puncak Jaya (Marc Lerner) and King’s Gambit (Krisna Thangamani) set a brisk pace to the second half of the race, Smart Star emerged as a serious menace only upon straightening.

In one fell swoop, he struck the front before leaving his rivals battling in his wake.

However, he was not out of the woods yet as resuming $16 second favourite Tennet Tentennet (Bruno Queiroz) jumped out of the page at the 100m.

The late challenge was, however, snuffed out without much fuss. Smart Star had enough petrol left in the tank to hold Leslie Khoo’s gelding at bay by 3/4-length.

Mesmerizing boxed on for third another 1½ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 40.41sec for the Polytrack mile.

With eight of Smart Star’s 21 starts having been over distances beyond 1,600m, including one win each over 1,700m and 2,000m, Kok has set his sights on loftier targets for the horse who races in the same colours as his stable’s namesake.

“The owner wants to run him in the Gold Cup. He can run 2,000m for sure, but his rating must keep going up,” said Kok.

The Smart Bet Stable is named after their 2002 winner of the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup which will be run as Singapore racing’s farewell event on Oct 5, the $1.38 million 100th Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2,000m).

Whether he sneaks in as a lightweight, it remains to be seen if Nunes will stick with him, should he make the weight or otherwise.

The Brazilian jockey, who like Kok, has yet to annex the time-honoured race to his CV, was just suitably impressed with the performance at that level first.

“He’s a big horse, you cannot chase him. You just let him find his feet, he just keeps coming and coming,” he said.

“He can stay, but I was a bit worried about the barrier (eight) today, especially over two turns.

“I didn’t use him, he was relaxed. I just put him at the back.

“He was second last at first but he was travelling so easy for me. He just started to improve without me doing much work on him.

“He just put himself in a good position once the gaps came up.”

With a double earned earlier with Kinabalu Light (Ruan Maia, $49) in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 2 race (1,600m), Kok was snapping a mini run of outs since Smart One on June 9.

“I was expecting Smart Star and Boss Heng Heng (in the same race as Kinabalu Light), but he ran second,” he said.

“I actually thought Kinabalu Light had a chance in Division 2 and back on Poly.

“Either way, it was a nice stable quinella.”

manyan@sph.com.sg