Singapore, May 21 – A $21,000 purchase from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2010 Magic Millions, Mr Big confirmed his status as one of the rising stars of Singapore racing when he scored a defiant win in the S$325,000 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe Sng Group II over 1200 metres at Kranji on Friday night.
An Australian bred and sold son of Elusive Quality (USA), Mr Big also qualified to win a S$90,000 bonus, making it a massive pay day for connections.
In a thrilling finish Mr Big (pictured here to the right of Dark Matter) held out the race favourite and the previously unbeaten youngster Dark Matter to win narrowly with three lengths back to the third horse.
Mr Big burst onto the scene at Kranji last Friday night when on debut he demoralised his rivals with an eight and a half length win.
The win was a triumph for the Aussies with Mr Big trained by Michael Freedman and ridden to victory by Danny Beasley, the youngster collecting an impressive S$264,807 from his two starts to date.
Freedman said it was only decided in the past 24 hours to pack up Mr Big after his winning debut just a week ago.
“Ten days ago I didn’t think I had a horse for the race with a realistic chance,” Freedman commented.
“This horse bobbed up last Friday night. We had a bit of a dilemma whether we would back up seven days later.
“I wouldn’t normally do it that’s for sure, particularly with a two-year-old – but he’s a tough little bugger.
“He hadn’t left an oat since last Friday night and I said to James my assistant that there’s no reason we shouldn’t run him, so I had dinner with his owner last night and he said – let’s have a go.”
Bred by Shadwell and foaled and raised at Yarraman, Mr Big is by Sepoy’s sire Elusive Quality and is from the unraced Danehill mare Basamaat (IRE) – a sister to stakes placegetter Clear Impression and daughter of stakes winning Red Ransom juvenile Shining Hour.
