Sun Stud Win Singapore Derby

Tara Madgwick - Monday July 22
Sun Stud celebrated a big win in Sunday's $1 million Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) with a surprise victory for Sepoy gelding Sun Marshal trained by Lee Freedman.

Sun Marshal wins the Derby- Singapore Turf ClubThe Sun Stud colours of wealthy Macau owner Cheng Ting Kong of Sun Bloodstock Racing Stable are regularly seen winning big Australian races with horses such as Palentino in the 2016 Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes and more recently Thronum in the 2018 Group 2 Australia Stakes, but this was their first major win in Singapore.

Sun Marshal scored a neck win for Joe Azzpopardi taking his overall record to five wins from 16 starts.

"This is my 12thDerby, it just feels like another Derby, to be honest, but I don't think the other Derbies were worth a million," said an elated Lee Freedman.

"I'm so rapt Mr Clint (runner-up)finished second-best."

Previously trained by Sydney's premier trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott when known as Han Xin, Sun Marshal had in six local starts stamped himself as a dependable middle-distance performer with two wins (1600m and 2000m) and three placings for Freedman.

In Australia where he raced nine times, spread across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane for two wins (1600m and 2000m), Sun Marshal was labelled as an honest staying type who quickly earned a shot at 'black type' races in that genre, albeit without winning. He did finish second in the Group 3 Grand Prix (2200m) at Doomben last year, and interestingly, his last Australian run was an eighth in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2200m) in June 2018, just under five lengths off the winner Dark Dream.

"I thought his form was solid when he came to me. He ran second in the (Group 3) Grand Prix (2200m at Doomben in 2018), and ran very well first-up," said Freedman.

"He improved after I gave him a month's break. He was very fit, but I didn't know how he would handle the ground today.

Sepoy is the sire of Sun Marshal"But I have to say a lot of the horses' chances were ruined by the ground, and some of them improved on it.

"I've always had a lot of time for Joe (Azzopardi) and I told him this horse would be his Derby horse. He's done all the work on him.

"I'm glad for Mr Cheng, and I know Gai would be happy for me, too."

Sun Marshal was bred by Evergreen Rich and was a $200,000 Magic Millions purchase for Sun Bloodstock from the Element Hill draft. He is the best of four winners from Mysterious Light, a half-sister by Fantastic Light (USA) to stakes-placed Emotional Circus and Twirl from the family of champion sire Fastnet Rock.

Mysterious Light has a weanling filly by Sizzling and was covered last year by Sebring.

He is the 13th stakes-winner for Darley's Golden Slipper winner Sepoy, who stands at Darley Victoria this spring at a fee of $11,000.


Advertisment

Race Result - Singapore Derby Gr1 1800m

Singapore Track: Dead Time: 1:49.10
1
Sun Marshal
- 4g Sepoy (AUS) x Mysterious Light (AUS) (Fantastic Light (USA))
Tnr: D L Freedman Rdr: Joseph Azzopardi 57
2
0.3
Mr Clint
- 4g Power (GB) x Victoria Belle (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: D L Freedman Rdr: B Pinheiro 57
3
1.6
King Louis
- 4g Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Run For Roses (AUS) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: R Le Grange Rdr: W Pike 57
4
2.6
What's New
- 4m Casino Prince (AUS) x Pussycat Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: C I Brown Rdr: Ben Thompson 55.5
5
3.4
Sacred Croix
- 4g Savabeel (AUS) x Croix Du Sud (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit (USA))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: R Woodworth 57
6
6.9
Heliosphere
- 4h Sebring (AUS) x Purrfection (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: D L Freedman Rdr: Tommy Berry 57
7
8.2
Beau Geste
- 4g Street Cry (IRE) x Haut Ton (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: J P Van Der Merwe 57
8
9.7
Circuit Mission
- 4g High Chaparral (IRE) x Precautionary (GB) (Green Desert (USA))
Tnr: D L Freedman Rdr: M Rodd 57
9
10.5
Elite Quarteto
- 4g Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE) x New Hampshire (BRZ) (Punk (ARG))
Tnr: C I Brown Rdr: S Noh 57
10
10.7
Glasgow
- 4g Not A Single Doubt (AUS) x Unspoken Choice (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: S Burridge Rdr: Marc R Lerner 57
11
12.5
Eye Guy
- 4g Bradbury's Luck (AUS) x Lacada Point (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: M Clements Rdr: B Melham 57
12
17.3
Quarter Back
- 4g Empire Maker (USA) x Last Message (JPN) (Jungle Pocket (JPN))
Tnr: M Clements Rdr: V Duric 57
13
18.1
Super Dynasty
- 4g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Sayuri San (AUS) (Fuji Kiseki (JPN))
Tnr: D L Freedman Rdr: S John 57
14
21.6
Destroyer Eclipse
- 4g Alamosa (NZ) x Shezabeel (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: J Peters Rdr: D Moor 57
15
27.6
Nimble
- 4g Patronize (AUS) x Grand Oscar (AUS) (Grandera (IRE))
Tnr: L Dragon Rdr: J Powell 57
16
28.4
Magic Wand
- 4g Star Witness (AUS) x Thanksgiving (NZ) (Generous (IRE))
Tnr: K S Tan Rdr: C C Wong 57
More Reading...
Breeders Paradise - Inglis Digital August (early) Online
An abundance of high-quality broodmares – many in foal to some of the hottest young stallions in the Southern Hemisphere – and broodmare prospects headline a “breeders’ paradise’’ in the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Sale.
One to Watch – Geelong
Team Hawkes were the guiding force behind the racing career of Group I ATC Doncaster Mile winner Brutal and have also prepared his first Group I winner as a sire in Nepotism and they unleashed a debut winner by him at Geelong on Friday.
Sepoy's Alizee Makes Winning Seasonal Debut
A fresh Alizee opened her five-year-old campaign with a win in Saturday’s Group II Missile Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill although supporters that backed her into odds-on favouritism were made to sweat in the closing stages.
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 7
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Glamour Sepoy Mare Takes Godolphin Everest Slot
Multiple G1-winning mare Alizee is to run in Godolphin’s The Everest slot with Bivouac to be kept to races against his own age in the immediate future.
Ozzmosis First Born is Feeling Frisky!
Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis was in demand at Newgate last spring covering 192 mares and his first born foal that arrived on July 31 at Alma Vale Thoroughbreds is the source of great pride for owners Ian and Cathy Mathieson.
One to Watch – Kembla
Golden Slipper winning sire Sepoy has delivered his second blue-blooded two year-old winner this week for Godolphin at Kembla on Thursday.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for last season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end this season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 8
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Melbourne Cup on Radar for Sons and Lovers
Joseph O’Brien knows what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and that was mentioned as a possible goal for progressive young stayer Sons and Lovers, who won the Group III Ballyroan Stakes (1m4f) at Leopardstown overnight.