ENTERTAINER scores outstanding victory in Feature Race in Singapore

ENTERTAINER  (5yo Gelding by Zoustar out of Laughing) produced a scintillating display in winning the Class 2 1100m Polytrack event at Singapore’s Kranji racetrack 29th January. Ridden for the first time by the highly experienced Harry Kasim, ENTERTAINER (Stable name “Joker”) had a bit to prove. Although lodging six wins from seven starts at this trip and surface in 2021, a resuming run in Class 3 grade 8th January had seen him fade in the closing stages to finish 7th. Up to Class 2 for this race and facing much stronger competition, punters were happy to support more favoured chances and sent ENTERTAINER out at odds of 12 to 1. No one told the horse this of course and away well from the gates, he settled outside the girth of stable mate, Makkam Lad, while two other favoured runners, Celavi and Arrarat Lady were back in the field. Traveling sweetly in the run, Kasim had the horse relaxed and well held together – asked for more effort at about the 250m mark, ENTERTAINER drew away and went to the line a length clear of the fast finishing Lady Arrarat in a time of 1.04.39.

Click HERE to see the race replay

“Joker’s” win bought up three successive wins for Harry Kasim over the day – the popular rider who is well known in New Zealand, having had a riding stint there a few years ago, had endured a frustrating start to the new season with no winners up until yesterday so to score three in a row was a big thrill – “I had really enjoyed getting my first two winners” said Kasim post race, “but then I got onto Entertainer, my last ride and, cantering to the barriers, all of a sudden it felt so natural he would win too. He’s a nice horse and he jumped better than we thought, and we were able to get a good position. I was happy to just let him travel for me. At the top of the straight, I was confident I could get my third win. He showed a good turn of foot and I knew he would win at the 200m.”

Entertainer makes it 7 wins in Singapore – 29th January 2022

Trainer Donna Logan, who only took over the Head Trainer’s role for Te Akau Racing, replacing the departing  four time Singapore Champion Trainer, Mark Walker, was extremely proud of her charge “That was brilliant to watch – to be honest, I didn’t thimk he could win today, given the quality of the opposition, but Joker was just too big, too strong and had the last laugh  in the end. Super ride by Harry, but he had a big motor under him. Congrats to John Galvin and his big crew of Owners – the Fortuna Stable here in Singapore is absolutely flying”

Fortuna Boss, John Galvin, watching from his home in New Zealand, was over the moon with the outcome “I was up and out of my chair as they turned for home – Harry had him going so well and I just knew he would be hard to get past with him only carrying 50kgs. I had discounted his previous start as he had had a good blow after that race and I knew he would take a lot of improvement. He was racing out of his grade in Class 2 but his last win 30th October had been in that grade also, so I was quietly confident that he had a good chance of a repeat. Well done to Harry and I am rapt for Donna Logan – she has big shoes to fill in taking over the Te Akau operation from Mark Walker, but with five wins to date in the new season, she is off to a bright start”

Happy Harry Kasim with equally happy Trainer Donna Logan

Entertainer’s win made it 4 wins from 13 starts for the Fortuna NZ Racing Stable in Singapore in the 2022 season along with a 2nd, two 3rds and 3 4ths

Entertainer was acquired by Mark Walker on behalf of Fortuna at the Inglis Digital sale in December 2019 for A$20,000 – he has now won seven races from fifteen starts in Singapore and accumulated S$237,000 in prizemoney, a great return on investment for his ownership group

Entertainer is raced by the Fortuna Entertainer Syndicate, an ownership group consisting of 51 individuals from NZ, Australia and Singapore