By Michael Lee, Singapore Turf Club
Top galloper Countofmontecristo is not with trainer Michael Clements anymore.
The Joe Singh-owned Echoes Of Heaven seven-year-old was transferred on Friday morning to trainer Mark Walker.
Currently the highest rated galloper still in work at Kranji on 115 points (Aramco on 118 points is spelling), Countofmontecristo was a beaten favourite at his last start in the Group 1 Kranji Mile on August 8 when ridden by Clements’ No 1 jockey Louis-Phillipe Beuzelin, running third to Aramaayo after being posted four wide.
All up, under Clements’ care, the Count, as he is often named, has won 10 races, including five at Group level (three Group 2s and two Group 3s) from 31 starts for close to $2.1 million in prizemoney, but he has thus far been unable to break his Group 1 hoodoo.
As many as 15 jockeys have ridden him, with Glen Boss striking the best partnership early doors on five wins, including a four-in-a-row during his champion three-year-old season in 2017.
Countofmontecristo is the last Singh-owned horse to leave Clements. Previous horses to have moved earlier are Yabadabadoo, Gingerella and Eye Guy, among others. Those four were even nominated, and subsequently withdrawn from four of the nine races to this year’s Dubai World Cup, which in any case was eventually cancelled due to COVID-19.
