Expatriate New Zealander Laurie Laxon has become the first person in the history of Singapore racing to train 100 winners in a season.
Laxon posted his century of winners when New Zealand-bred Light Easy won a S$75,000 ($64,957) premier 3 race at Singapore's Kranji racecourse over the weekend.
The near-capacity
crowd gave Laxon an outstanding reception as Light Easy returned to scale.
Laxon's century of wins in Singapore is another chapter in a remarkable career that includes wins in major global races such as the Melbourne Cup.
"It's fantastic to win those big races, they are great moments when they come along, and this achievement is probably more satisfying because it is the direct result of so much hard work," Laxon said.
Laxon is guaranteed of winning the Singapore trainers' premiership. He has an unassailable 28-win lead over his nearest rival, Donald Baertschiger, with just one meeting remaining this season.
Laxon was quick to acknowledge those around him that had helped to achieve the milestone of 100 wins.
"This has been a wonderful year but I'm just one part of the orchestra. I would like to thank all the people who helped me bring up the century, including my staff, jockeys and owners as well as the people employed by the Singapore Turf Club such as the vets and barrier attendants, everybody has just been so co-operative."
Laxon's milestone is also a big result for the New Zealand thoroughbred export industry.
"I generally only buy New Zealand horses, although I am happy to take others at the request of an owner, but Kiwi horses really dominate my stable. Of the 60 horses I have in work, at least 50 of them are New Zealand-bred and once again this year they really did the job for me."
The best of Laxon's horses was the New Zealand-bred Dreyfuss. The five-year-old, a leading candidate for the Singapore horse of the year title, was purchased for just $32,000 at New Zealand's Bloodstocks select colts sale in 2001.
Laxon will again be attending New Zealand's Bloodstocks yearling sales in January to invest for the future.
- NZPA
