Macarthur charges into Singapore 2YO Series
Back in August – it seems so long ago! – Gai Waterhouse was among the trainers interviewed by ANZ Bloodstock News about the stable’s most likely prospects for the new season.
One of the 2YOs Gai mentioned was a “nice colt” by Charge Forward from the Redoute’s Choice mare Mozambique. His name was Tribal and he duly appeared twice at Randwick in September, running second in a three-horse trial and then, at the Official 2YO Trials on 21 September, finishing 5th in his heat with subsequent Group 1 winner Prized Icon behind him.
Shinsoreness then held up his preparation for Queensland breeders Ron & Deb Gilbert of Highgrove Stud, who put him in training after he failed to meet his reserve at last year’s Magic Millions Sale.
Highgrove is a shareholder in Charge Forward and, as Ron says, “I’ve bred to Charge Forward every year since he went to stud, I know what a good Charge Forward looks like and Tribal was one. He was very athletic, an absolute tradesman, and I loved him.”
However, racing horses is a secondary activity for Ron. “Breeding is my passion, we’re busy and we live too far from major racetracks to get to the races very often, so most horses we race are for sale.”
That’s how a phone call from Steve Levar, the Australian-born, Singapore-based owner & CEO of iRaceMedia, led to Tribal’s sale in December 2015 to the Stars & Stripes Stable, established by the partnership of Levar & his wife Christine with US businessman Adam Levinson and his wife Brittany.
Levar, who draws on 30 years’ industry experience to manage the Stable’s six horses, had also bought Group-placed Melbourne winner Bugatty from a partnerhip including Deb Gilbert earlier in 2015. Re-named Vanderbilt in Singapore, he won his Kranji debut in September, a month after the partnership’s first runner, Risky Rockefeller, saluted the judge.
Tribal, now named Macarthur in keeping with the Stable’s American icon theme, extended this terrific run of success with an eye-catching maiden win at Kranji on Sunday.
The handsome, dark brown gelding had already begun his career on a promising note, with a third to Jupiter Gold in the Kranji Nursery Stakes on 10 April and trainer Steven Burridge was tempted to look at a leg of the 2YO Series for his next start.
Levar suggested the 1200-metre War Affair Stakes, a restricted maiden, as a better option for the still immature Macarthur, and so it proved. Allotted 49 kg against his 3YO rivals, Macarthur shot out of gate 6, quickly crossed the field and settled comfortably in front with the other favoured runner Lim’s Dashing in close attendance.
At the top of the straight Lim’s Dashing kicked strongly, but once Macarthur balanced up, he responded with verve to hold him off by almost a length, with 4.3 lengths back to third-placed Nova Legend.
Watch Macarthur’s maiden win at Kranji.
Macarthur’s jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim said, “I rode him in trackwork and he gave me a good feel. He’s got ability and is a real racehorse, but he’s still very green and still doesn’t know what he’s doing.
“In the straight, I didn’t pull the whip and waited for the other horse [Lim’s Dashing] to come up. That was when he responded and gave a very nice turn of foot in the last 200 metres.”
The Singapore Golden Horseshoe Series is now firmly on Macarthur’s radar, and he will be seen in the next leg on turf, the IRT Juvenile Stakes on 10 June. The Gilberts will naturally follow his progress with keen interest, but unfortunately without any further foals from Mozambique, who suffered laminitis and died two years ago.
