Bakeel opens account for Mansoor Down Under
Sharon Zhang
The decision to venture into the Australian racing market has paid off for owner Mansoor Gandhi, after Bakeel pulled off a convincing win on debut in the A$55,000 (S$46,700) Happy 40th Birthday Chris Bieg Handicap (1,200m) at Adelaide's Morphettville racecourse on Feb 22.
After the closure of Singapore racing in October 2024, the Singaporean businessman and owner of the Al-Arabiya Stable chose to dip his toes into racing in Australia.
More specifically, he sent five of his horses – Bakeel, Makin, Ghalib, Ejaz and Asif – to South Australian-based trainers Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor on ex-Kranji jockey Barend Vorster's recommendation.
Ridden by five-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes, Bakeel was the first in the squad to make his debut in the Benchmark 68 Handicap race and gave Mansoor the chance to taste success in Australia with his first-up win.
Resuming after an eight-month break, the Sioux Nation four-year-old broke from barrier 12 but sat four wide. Nunes, who rode him at all his three wins in Singapore, did not panic even when Bakeel swung out the widest for the final assault.
Halfway up the straight, Bakeel easily sprinted past Dancing Storm (Lachlan Neindorf) before extending to a two-length win over the former.
The winning time was 1min 9.67sec for the 1,200m on the turf.
Mansoor was glad Bakeel's first run in Australia has reaped instant rewards, albeit he was not on hand at the winner's circle.
"I watched the race online. His win brought tears to my eyes," said Mansoor, who is on a business trip in Dubai. "It's very rare for a foreign horse to win first-up there. It takes a good quality horse to do that.
"He won by two lengths while carrying the top weight of 60kg, which was good. Aaron also said in an interview that he's probably the best horse in his stable now.
"I haven't been to Angaston Park (Bain's training facility) but both Manoel and Barend were confident. They told me the horse has a good temperament and that he has developed further there."
Previously trained by another Australian – Steven Burridge – at Kranji, Bakeel won three races from nine starts in Singapore, including his last run in a Class 4 event (1,600m) on June 9, 2024 before leaving for Australia.
After reuniting with Nunes in Morphettville, their partnership has blossomed further. The Brazilian jockey – who has relocated to Glenelg since Oct 12, 2024 – was all praise for Bakeel.
"It's been eight months since his last race (in Singapore). This time, he raced wide with 60kg on his back, so the way he won was quite impressive," said Nunes, who has ridden 27 winners since October, including one in Ascot, Perth.
"He won well in his first trial at Morphettville (on Feb 11), but there were no suitable races over 1,400m, so we had to run him in the 1,200m, which was a bit sharp.
"It didn't help that he drew the widest in 13 (jumped from barrier 12 after Lady Of Savoy was scratched) too.
"It looked like a speedy race on paper. Bakeel jumped okay but I didn't want to push him at first because I wanted some cover, but the two horses to my inside did not go forward, so we ended up four deep but still had a bit of cover.
"Aaron plans to run him in a Benchmark 86 race over the 1,400m in two to three weeks' time. To me, 1,400m suits but a mile would be his best trip. He can also go over a bit more ground later.
"I remember riding him at his debut win in Singapore when he was a two-year-old with (Kranji trainer) Michael Clements. He was about 70 per cent fit but he won nicely.
"He then had wind issues. But, after a surgery, he ran third in the Group 3 Singapore Three-year-Old Sprint (1,200m) and then second in the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1,400m) last year.
"But I've always said he will be better when he's four because he was just immature last time. Very happy I could give Mansoor his first win in Australia."
With his first winner's box ticked in Adelaide, Mansoor also plans to send his horses for more competitive races in other states of Australia, as well as expanding on his current string Down Under.
"It's more competitive in places like Sydney and Melbourne, so we thought Adelaide was a good place to start with," said Mansoor, who has 15 horses in Malaysia and is also planning to buy horses in Dubai.
"I hope Makin and Ghalib can run in Listed races in Adelaide some day because they are good quality horses. If there aren't suitable ones, then we would consider running them in Perth.
"Bakeel winning on debut is a good start. Of course I'd look at buying more horses for the Australian market if things go well."
sharonzhang@sph.com.sg
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