Dragon Fury Unleashes in Singapore

Karaka graduate Dragon Fury (NZ) (Sufficient) scored his first stakes success last night after a gutsy run against proven performers in the S$200,000 Singapore Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes (1400m) in Singapore.

Dragon Fury wins the Sgp-3 Saas Fee Stakes. Photo courtesy of the STC.

Dragon Fury was one of three NZB Ready to Run Sale graduates to win a stakes race this weekend with Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) winning the Group 1 Caulfield Cup on Saturday, his third Group 1 success, and Group 1 winner Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj) winning the Listed Darley Seymour Cup yesterday.

Trained by Alwin Tan, this was Dragon Fury's first tilt at a black-type race with four previous wins since his debut a year ago. His last four starts have seen him a winner twice, both wins over 1400m, and two runner-up places.

“I’m very surprised he won,” commented Tan.  “I thought as he had never run in such a strong field, against a better class of horses, I told the owner he deserved to have a shot at it.

“But I think a large part of the success has to go to Shafiq (jockey). He handled the horse very well though he’s only ridden him in trackwork.”

Commencing from barrier 9 for rider Shafiq, Dragon Fury settled in fifth position, spotting four-lengths to the leader. Improving approaching the home straight, Dragon Fury powered down the centre of the track, after taking a wide berth on the home turn, to take the lead inside 200m and held off rivals for victory by a neck over runner-up Gold Rutile (Gold Halo) with Davide (Orpen) finishing in third.

Owned by Shiny Stable, the four-year-old gelding has now earned S$330,860 in prizemoney.

The four-year-old gelding was offered at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2013 Festival Sale and returned as a two-year-old to be offered at NZB’s 2013 Ready to Run Sale by his breeder Brent Gillovic of Highview Stud.

The son of Sufficent is out of O’Reilly mare Calabria, with Dragon Fury her only named foal. He is from the same family as Group 1 winners Librici (Imperial Seal), winner of the Group 1 Queensland Derby, Procol Harum (Western Symphony), winner of the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas, and Cannsea (Canny Lad), winner of the Group 1 Railway Handicap.