May 16, 2010
Super horse Rocket Man fizzles
<!-- by line --> <!-- end by line --> SINGAPORE - SINGAPORE super horse Rocket Man fizzled in the rain on Sunday as a Hong Kong raider snatched the silverware from under its nose on the city-state's biggest race night for the second year running on Sunday. Green Birdie took top sprint honours, the hopes of the 30,000-strong Kranji crowd gurgling down the drain as Rocket Man's thunder in the Group 1 race was stolen minutes after lightning streaked across the Singapore skyline.
Local punters were again left tossing their betting slips away in disgust at the end of the stormy $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint. A year earlier Rocket Man had gone off hot favourite to win the Sprint but went down to Sacred Kingdom in another nailbiting finish. 'I'm absolutely thrilled,' said jockey Mark Du Plessis, who had been dismounted by Green Birdie on the run-up to the stalls.'This is my first international Group 1 and right now it's the greatest moment in my life.'
Green Birdie made light of the tricky inside draw to lead from post to post, striking for home after the final bend and holding off the fast finishing Rocket Man and fellow Hong Kong horse Happy Zero, who made up acres of ground but was never close enough to put in a challenge. In the Singapore Airlines International Cup, Lizard's Desire thundered down the home stretch to deny Gloria De Campeao a second successive win in the $3 million race. The South African galloper, drawn wide in the number nine stall, made up six lengths on early leaders Jolie's Shinju and Gloria De Campeao to nose in front in the final 200 metres. The win was sweet revenge for Lizard's Desire and jockey Kevin Shea, who had been beaten by a nose by Gloria De Campeao in the Dubai World Cup in March. -- REUTERS
