Elite Invincible Hands Walker First Singapore G1 Win
Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker secured his first Singapore Gr.1 success in the $1 million Giovanni Racing Charity Bowl (1600m) on Sunday, and for good measure, the stable quinella when Elite Invincible and Kingsman ran a thrilling 1-2.
The New Zealand mentor, who trained a host of Group 1 winners (20) back home from his former Matamata base, had somehow not been able to make his mark in such races at his new hunting ground since relocating to Kranji in 2010.
The five-time New Zealand champion trainer and two-time Singapore champion trainer has come close a few times, though. Most thought the floodgates would be flung wide open when his New Zealand Group performer Tell A Tale ran second to Risky Business in the Longines Singapore Gold Cup in 2010, barely a few months after he set up shop, but the ensuing tale proved to be different.
He also had Jimmy Rea finishing runner-up to Affleck in the 2015 Singapore Guineas, but overall, there were more misses than hits.
Besides, when one looks back at the records, the Walker name is not normally synonymous with massive Group 1 participation, let alone flashbulbs - unlike the other big guns like Laurie Laxon, Michael Freedman or even contemporaries like Cliff Brown or Alwin Tan in recent years.
Even his first Group success took a while to eventuate – Flying Fulton in the Group 3 Committee’s Prize in 2011. The Polytrack ace has since added four more among his previous haul of 11 ‘black type’ wins at his new turf, which still represented a decent record, but that elusive Group 1 zenith was still missing from his curriculum vitae - until Sunday.
Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com