Singapore’s star three-year-old Gingerbread Man continued his winning streak at Kranji last night, this time proving too classy for a field containing older rivals.
The son of Shamardal sat second for much of the race before coming with a strong run in the home straight to hit the front and then comfortably hold out his rivals.
The performance was an impressive win for the Bruce Marsh trained gelding, who was starting for the first time since clean sweeping the recent Three-Year-Old series in Singapore.
It’s been a remarkable career already for Gingerbread Man considering earlier this year he was crowned Singapore’s Champion Two-Year-Old of 2010.
“To be honest, he had a nice easy time after the Three-Year-Old Challenge,” Marsh reported.
“We’ve slowly brought him back to fitness. But you know how he is – in his trials, he doesn’t show much and is just content to go around.”
“Still, I knew he had come back stronger and I felt he had improved further from the time he won the Three-Year-Old races.”
“He proved tonight he can measure up in Open company. There were no shortage of honest horses in tonight’s races – they’re all winners.”
“He will now go to the Chairman’s Trophy at the end of the month. It’s been a race I’ve been thinking about for him as I’d like to test him over more ground now.”
Gingerbread Man cruised home, beating Keep Away by a length and a quarter, while early leader Happy Everybody was a nose back third.
Gingerbread Man has been a revelation for connections after being knocked down to Magic Millions bloodstock consultant and auctioneer James Dawson for $30,000 at the 2009 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Dawson purchased the son of Shamardal on behalf of Singapore based client Joe Singh and he is raced by Singh’s Gingerbread Stable.
The outstanding three-year-old now boasts nine wins from just 12 runs and he’s earned a staggering S$940,924.
Gingerbread Man is one of two winners and a placegetter, from three to race, for the twice raced Hurricane Sky mare Quaffle.
Quaffle is a half sister to the stakes winner Golden Snitch and is from a Snippets winning half sister to Epsom Handicap winner Iron Horse.
Winner: Gingerbread Man
Breeding: Shamardal-Quaffle (Hurricane Sky)
Race: Singapore TC Open Handicap (1400m)
Sold for: $30,000
Sale: 2009 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale
Vendor: Rothwell Park (As Agent)
Buyer: Magic Millions as agent
Owner(s): Gingerbread Stable
Earnings: S$940,924
Trainer: Bruce Marsh (Kranji)
PICS – Singapore Turf Club.