Kermadec's Lim’s Kosciuszko All Class in Merlion Trophy

Singapore’s superstar racehorse Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec) bounced back from a Hong Kong disappointment and made a triumphant return to home soil in Saturday’s Group Three S$110,000 Merlion Trophy (1200m) at Kranji.

Offered at Karaka 2019 and again at the Ready to Run Sale later that year, Lim’s Kosciuszko has now had 16 starts for 12 wins, two second placings and S$859,093 in prizemoney. That equates to more than NZ$1m, while his reserves for his two trips through the Karaka sale ring were $75,000 and $60,000.

Lim’s Kosciuszko had swept all before him in his first 14 starts in Singapore, winning 11 races headed by the Singapore Derby (1800m) and Lion City Cup (1200m).

A raid on the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in December ended in disappointment, with the five-year-old gelding struggling to handle the trip and failing to produce anything like his best form. He finished at the tail of the 14-horse field, half a dozen lengths from the winner.

But it was a very different story in Saturday’s Merlion Trophy, which was Lim’s Kosciuszko’s first ever start on Kranji’s Polytrack synthetic surface.

Ridden by Wong Chin Chuen, the commanding favourite cruised around the track in third spot and was doing everything with ease as the field approached the home turn.

Lim’s Kosciuszko soon surged past the two leaders at the top of the straight and shot clear, winning by two and a half lengths from the late-finishing King Arthur (I Am Invincible). The 1200 metres were run in 1:10.32.

“Jimmy (Wong Chin Chuen) has done a good job,” winning trainer Daniel Meagher said.

“I have to thank all the staff – Razif (Razif Rahman), who rides him every day, and (Samsuri) Saadon, who looks after him. Everybody in general.

“It was a tough Hong Kong trip. I felt pretty disappointed, but anyway, we got over that. We brought him back and it’s been a little bit of a troublesome run. He’s done a great job, and good horses can do it.”

Meagher said Lim’s Kosciuszko will now be pointed towards the Raffles Cup (1600m) on March 25 and the Kranji Mile (1600m) on May 20.

Wong, who was also aboard when the star racehorse won last year’s Lion City Cup, believes there is much more in store.

“He’s like a machine,” the champion apprentice jockey said. “He’s a good horse and has proven himself. I’m happy to get him back to the winner’s circle and to give him back his confidence.

“He’s a funny horse. He’s got a lot of gate speed and can be raced on the pace. Now he’s more mature – and the trainer has done a very, very good job to get the horse to settle – so when we want to go further, he can then be ridden more quietly at the start and he can still produce that strong finish.”

Raced by the Lim’s Stable, Lim’s Kosciuszko was a trial winner at Te Teko for breeders Trelawney Stud before being purchased by bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo.