Kranji newcomers Dinar and Hamama keep up the good head of steam that began with Qaidoom for the new Al Rashid Stable and Mark Walker team last Sunday.
A debutant as well, Qaidoom (x Noble Mission) was the first of a new batch of seven horses to salute for the Kuwaiti outfit and the three-time Singapore champion trainer in an Open Maiden race over 1000m.
One week later, a double from Dinar (x Dalghar) in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200m and Hamama (x Shackleford) in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1000m gave a possible indication Kranji could be witnessing the emergence of a new force.
Mr Clint was actually their first runner, but in three starts, the former Lee Freedman-trained 2019 Singapore Gold Cup winner could not salute, although the current trio of winners can be considered as their first personal purchases to go under Walker's care while Mr Clint was an impromptu opportunity that popped up as a ready-to-race proposition after Freedman returned to Australia in March.
"It's great to saddle another two winners for the Al Rashid Stable. They are new supporters and that can only be encouraging for the future," said Walker.
While Dinar , an unraced grey three-year-old, looked green as grass when seen reefing and tearing under Walker's apprentice jockey Hakim Kamaruddin in the lead, Hamama was a lot more tractable under the same rider when parked outside leader Teardrops (Oscar Chavez).
The outcome was, however, similar when Singapore's leading apprentice jockey gave the two Al Rashid Stable wards their heads in the home straight - a convincing victory that augurs well for their Kranji racing careers.
Though still ungainly in his action, Dinar ($16) easily shook off his rivals, defeating Red Dragon (John Sundradas) by one and a half lengths. Dragon Tycoon (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) had every chance on the fence but was one-paced to the line in third another head away with the 1200m on the Short Course wrapped up in 1min 12.02secs.
It was just as painless a watch for the four-year-old Hamama ($22), a three-time placegetter in Dubai, one of Al Rashid Stable's other satellite stables along with UK, USA and Malaysia before they spread their racing operations to Singapore two years ago. There was just a slight concern when Hakim glanced down on his offside at the top of the straight, but he was just making sure the chestnut mare was on the right leg, and once she was in full flight, a gallant Teardrops could only settle for second place three-quarter length away with Sky Eye (Kok) in third place another head away. The winning time was 58.83secs for the 1000m on Polytrack.
Walker was as usual not trying to stare into a crystal ball, leaving it to time and Mother Nature to give him a more accurate gauge of the two winners' ability, especially Dinar, who was an unknown quantity under racing conditions.
"Dinar was a bit green, but he won quite easily in the end," he said.
"He trialled up well, but we don't really know the strength of the field. If he won as easily today even though he was as green as he was, he must have a lot of ability.
"We'll keep him at such sprints for now and space his runs. He's still got some way to go and the more racing he goes through, the more he will learn, and the more we'll learn about him.
"As for the mare, I was a bit concerned with the draw (nine), as you can get caught three wide with such sticky draws, but it was a good positive ride from Hakim to get across. That ride won the race."
