Siam Royal Orchid to bloom further as a 4YO
  Story By Michael Lee     

Monday, 22 April 2019: Relative newcomer Siam Royal Orchid has not taken long to stamp his mark as another talented three-year-old in trainer Michael Clements’ stable.

Siam Royal Orchid winning the RESTRICTED MAIDEN
Siam Royal Orchid winning the RESTRICTED MAIDEN


Already blessed with the likes of Top Knight, Siam Vipasiri and Siam Blue Vanda, the Zimbabwean-born conditioner can now add Siam Royal Orchid to that bunch, even if a participation in the remaining two Legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge might not eventuate.



With Clements away, assistant-trainer Michael White (pictured) was the one to give the low-down on the fallout from that impressive maiden win by the son of Shamus Award at only his second Kranji assignment in Sunday’s $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200m.


“We’ve always had a good opinion of this horse. He had a few setbacks and we always thought he would be better as a four-year-old, especially over a mile,” said White.



“He’s a big gross type of horse and that’s why we felt he would take more time. Joe (Azzopardi) rode him positively today and he won a nice race.



“The Guineas might come up too soon for him. We’ll give him one more run and see how he goes.”



The Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) is the third and last Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge and will be run in five weeks’ time on May 25. The second Leg, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) comes up on May 3.



The win was probably sealed in the first 200m of the race when after pinging his outermost alley in 12, Siam Royal Orchid ($29) was able to take up a lovely spot on the girth of race-leader Gamely (Riduan Abu Bakar).



Upon straightening, favourite Lim’s Passion (Michael Rodd) loomed as a major threat down the middle of the track, but it was game over the moment Azzopardi scrubbed Siam Royal Orchid up for the supreme effort.



Stretching out into his big strides, the Thai Pupetch Racing Stable-owned gelding let down nicely to go and defeat Gamely by 1 ¼ lengths with Lim’s Passion dying on his run to take third place another 1 ¼ lengths away. The winning time was 1min 11.92secs for the 1200m on Polytrack.



With that third winner in 12 rides for a healthy strike rate of 25%, Azzopardi continued the good run he has enjoyed since his debut on April 5.



“He’s a nice type. The gate was a concern, but he won on ability today,” said the Perth jockey.



“He will improve further from today’s win. He’s a nice big striding type of horse, we’ll have to see how he goes over 14, but in a few months’ time it will be no trouble at all.”



Fourth at his debut in a turf race over 1200m one month ago, Siam Royal Orchid has already picked up close to $50,000 in stakes money for his owners.