Running Tall was right on target at his first Singapore race on Sunday to put himself in good stead for the upcoming Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.

Previously prepared by Melbourne trainer Danny O’Brien for one of Singapore’s most famous owners, the Lucky Stable, the now three-year-old by Stratum, mixed it with Australia’s leading juveniles last season, scoring only one win, which was in the Gr 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Flemington a year ago, beating Michael Freedman’s current exciting prospect Masthead into fourth.

Running Tall

Prior to that Group 2 success, Running Tall counts a third at debut in the Gr 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) where Masthead again ran fourth and a second to eventual Golden Slipper winner  Sepoy in the Gr 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m).

With such a glittering resume to his name in Melbourne, the expectations were high at Running Tall’s Kranji debut in the $65,000 Novice race over 1200m on Polytrack, especially after he gave a sneak preview of his potential when second to star stablemate Rocket Man in a barrier trial on March 20.

Though he was inclined to overrace a little during the race, Running Tall  was always put in the gun spot by jockey Barend Vorster from the start, camped on the girth of race-leader Mr Whyte. Turning for home, Running Tall easily swept past the leader to open up a winning break but weakened late to score by 1 ½ lengths from Man Of Substance with Foxtrot Hotel third another head away.

With Shaw currently in Dubai to oversee the preparation of Rocket Man towards his tilt at back-to-back wins in the US$2 million Gr 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) on March 31, assistant-trainer Ricardo Le Grange was on hand to lead in their 11th winner for the year.

‚ÄúIt‚Äôs always a bit of a pressure to handle a horse who came to us with such a huge reputation,‚Äù said Le Grange.¬†‚ÄúHe was no doubt a smart two-year-old back in Australia, but I think we made the right decision to geld him as he was very coltish when he arrived (last December).”

‚ÄúHis form improved from trial to trial when the blinkers came on. He was up against a good strong field and he did well to win first-up.¬†He was a bit keen but that is okay as it was his first race here. He had the race won at the top of the straight.”

Sydney-visitor My Destiny (4 g Stratum РGrand Show, by Grand Lodge) produced a powerful finish to win the Listed Lough Neagh Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday. My Destiny came with a big finish in the straight to defeat Ready To Rip (More Than Ready) by a neck with  Adebisi (Shovhog) a neck away third.

My Destiny’s win was overshadowed by a serious injury to high-class mare Zero Rock who had to be pulled out of the race by jockey Chris Munce shortly after the start.¬†Early reports suggest Zero Rock may have sustained a career ending pelvis injury.

Trainer Con Karakatsanis set My Destiny on a path towards next month’s ¬†Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast but arrived earlier than planned after the four-year-old was balloted out of last week’s G2 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

“He’s still very green and has a lot to learn. ¬†He’s only had nine starts before this and he’s taken a while to put it all together,” Karakatsanis said.”His next run will be in the Magic Millions Cup if all goes well.”

Karakatsanis revealed My Destiny hasn’t been the easiest horse to train throughout his 10-start career.¬†”He’s had a lot of leg problems and isn’t the easiest horse to train and takes a lot of looking after.¬†I think he’ll be a better horse on a bigger track than Doomben.”