Malaysian Captain Nabs Singapore Group Feature

Star Malaysian galloper Captain Obvious won his first feature race in Singapore on Sunday when he led home a quinella result for Steven Burridge in the Group Three $200,000 Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m) at Kranji.

Formerly trained by his yearling sale buyer KL Chong, Captain Obvious notched win 11 from just 17 runs when he held out recent Group One winner Speed Baby to win by a head.

Now having achieved big race win in both Malaysia and Singapore, Captain Obviously looks set to head to the Dubai Carnival next year.

“I didn’t really care which of the two won,” Burridge said. “It was a good result all-round for the stable with us getting the quinella.”

Burridge said he didn’t give jockey Benny Woodworth any real instructions leading into the big race – knowing he knew the horse well from their Malaysian runs together.

“I just left it all to Benny. He knows the horse so well.”

“The only thing I said was to take advantage of barrier one which he certainly did.”

“He pleased me since his first up run and he had trimmed up nicely,” Burridge said of Captain Obvious.

“He’s a high class horse and long term I’m looking at doing to Dubai with both horses.”

“I’ve already spoken to the owners of the horses and they are keen – so we’ll probably go over in January for the carnival.”

“I’ve got to thank KL Chong for sending the horse (Captain Obvious) down to me. I was an assistant trainer up in Malaysia for eight years and got to know most of the trainers in my time there.”

“KL was going to send me one down a few years ago. Free Spirit ended up staying up there and became a champion – so I’m certainly glad to have this bloke in my stable.”

The Burridge runners will most likely clash again in the Group One $500,000 Kranji Mile on October 2.

The win continued the great relationship between Captain Obvious and Malaysian based jockey Benny Woodworth.

“He has never let me down before,” Woodworth said. “I have never finished out of the first three on him before.”

“He’s a very easy horse to ride. He jumps keenly and needs to be ridden along to get him racing, but he will relax underneath you when you want him to.”

“The was certainly a bigger test for the horse as the form in Malaysia is certainly not as strong as here in Singapore.”

“We were able to get a nice soft lead and then kick on turning into the straight. He got a bit tired, but we were able to hold on for a good strong win.”

Captain Obvious was purchased by KL Chong for just $24,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale at Belmont.

A six-year-old son of one time WA based sire Verglas, Captain Obvious is a son of the Highest Honor mare Shathor.

The latest yearling from Shathor – a Citidancer colt – has been entered by John Andrew’s Alwyn Park Stud for the 2012 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.

Burridge rounded out the card with a winning double – while Rocket Man’s trainer Patrick Shaw continued his outstanding run with a treble – shooting him three wins clear in the premiership over Laurie Laxon.

Winner: Captain Obvious
Breeding: Verglas-Shathor (Highest Honor)
Race: Singapore TC Jumbo Jet Trophy G3 (1400m)
Sold for: $24,000
Sale: 2007 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale
Vendor: Alwyn Park
Buyer: KL Chong
Earnings: S$2.1 million
Owner(s): Milton Stable
Trainer: Steven Burridge (Kranji)