The diminutive speedster, Flying Nemo, clinched his maiden triumph on the turf, exhibiting a powerful finish in the $70,000 Class 3 race (1200m) this Saturday.
Having secured four previous wins in sprints on the Polytrack, including a recent victory in the Class 4 race over 1100m on January 6, the four-year-old offspring of Vespa faced tougher competition in a field of 11 this time.
Starting strongly from gate eight, the $68 underdog was positioned towards the rear by first-time partner jockey Bruno Queiroz, albeit wide without cover. While $11 favorite Lord’s Command (Manoel Nunes) led the pack into the bend, Flying Nemo stealthily closed in on the outside, eventually settling in third alongside Sabah Ace (Amirul Ismadi) before heading straight for the judges.
At the 400m mark, Queiroz urged Flying Nemo forward, gradually surpassing Lord’s Command by the 150m point. Pacific Master (Iskandar Rosman) made a late charge on the inside, but Flying Nemo showcased an impressive burst of speed, securing a half-length victory over Pacific Master. Sabah Ace finished another length away in third. The winning time for the 1200m Long Course was 1 min 10.37secs.
Queiroz, now second in the current jockeys’ log with 10 wins, expressed confidence in a successful outcome for the Desmond Koh-trained gelding before the race.
“He flew home. I thought he can win in Class 3,” said the young Brazilian jockey, who achieved a three-timer on Saturday with two earlier wins on Smoke And Mirrors ($8) and Schneider ($15).
Assistant-trainer Lee Soo Hin acknowledged initial concerns about Flying Nemo being exposed to the wind early in the race. However, he was pleased with the victory, foreseeing better races in the future.
“His form was there, but he’s up in class today,” said Lee, deputizing for Koh. “We asked him (Queiroz) to ride him in fourth or fifth, then take him out in the straight, but I was a bit worried as they had no cover too early and sat wide. He’s (Flying Nemo) a small horse but he showed us today he’s a Class 3 horse and he can go further because he’s still young.”
Before Flying Nemo’s triumph, Atlante Legend ($132) surprised with a win in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 2 race (1200m) five races earlier, marking a double victory for Koh.
With five wins and four placings in 12 starts, Flying Nemo has now accumulated over $180,000 in prize money for the Nemo Stable.
