Singapore: Dan Excel repeats in International Cup

Dan Excel became the first horse to win consecutive runnings of the $3.95 million Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore on Sunday, leading throughout for a half-length win over Military Attack, the winner of the race in 2013.

Dan Excel (13-5) was ridden by Tommy Berry and gave Hong Kong-based trainer John Moore his third consecutive win in the race, first run in 2000. Moore trained Military Attack in 2013, but the 7-year-old gelding is now trained by Caspar Fownes of Hong Kong.

“To win it three times is something that is fantastic,” Moore told the press after the race. “Tommy was able to dictate it on his own terms.”

Dan Excel, a 7-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Shamardal, was winless in four starts since the 2014 Singapore International Cup. Dan Excel was timed in 2:01.52 for the 1 1/4 miles on turf. He won despite losing a shoe in the race.

Quechua, a 4-year-old Argentine-bred gelding based in Singapore, finished third in the field of 11.

Moore said a trip to England for the Sussex Stakes at a mile on turf at Goodwood Racecourse on July 29 is a possibility, pending discussions with David Boehm, who owns Dan Excel. In 2013, Dan Excel won the Group 1 Champions Mile in Hong Kong.

On the same program at Kranji, Aerovelocity won the $1.31 million KrisFlyer International Sprint, his third win at the highest level in three countries since December. Aerovelocity won the Group1 Hong Kong Sprint last December, and the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in Japan on March 29.

In the Group 1 KrisFlyer Sprint, Aerovelocity, the 3-5 favorite, led throughout the six-furlong turf race, winning by 1 1/2 lengths over 15-1 Emperor Max, a 5-year-old Australian-bred gelding based in Singapore.

Aerovelocity, who is based in Hong Kong with trainer Paul O’Sullivan, was ridden by Zac Purton.

“He’s been a special horse,” Purton said. “You don’t ride too many horses of the caliber of this guy. He just gives 100 percent every time he races, even in defeat.”

Aerovelocity was timed in 1:09.05.

A 6-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding, Aerovelocity is the third consecutive Hong Kong-based runner to win the KrisFlyer Sprint, preceded by Lucky Nine in 2013 and 2014.

Lucky Nine was third in Sunday’s race, encountering trouble on two occasions before finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind Aerovelocity. Rich Tapestry, who won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship last October, finished fifth.

O’Sullivan said Aerovelocity will remain in the Far East, with races in Japan and Hong Kong to be considered.

Japan: Straight Girl takes Victoria Mile

In Japan on Sunday, Straight Girl won the $1,579,389 Victoria Mile for fillies and mares on turf at Tokyo Racecourse, her second consecutive appearance in the Grade 1 race. Straight Girl was third in the 2014 running.

Sunday, Straight Girl (13-1) won by a head over the 46-1 outsider Keiai Elegant in a field of 18. Nuovo Record, the 6-5 favorite who won the 2014 Japanese Oaks, finished sixth.

Straight Girl, a 6-year-old Japanese-bred mare by Fuji Kiseki, was ridden by Keita Tosaki for trainer Hideaka Fujiwara. Straight Girl races for Toshihiro Hirosaki and has won 9 of 26 starts in her career.