Japanese horse Shadow Gate announced his arrival as the new kid on the international Group One block when scoring a brilliant win in last night's S$3 million (HK$15.5 million) Singapore Airlines International Cup (2,000m) at Kranji. The five-year-old, a virtual unknown prior to a seven-length win in Group Three company at his first start for the year, overcame a torrid trip to score an arrogant win under jockey Katsuhara Tanaka. The Yukihiro Kato-trained stallion settled just off the speed but was no closer than four wide for the entire trip before Tanaka made his move well before the home turn. Shadow Gate strolled to the lead early in the straight before quickly opening up a winning break and sustaining his workload right to the line to defeat compatriot Cosmo Bulk, who won the event last year, by 11/4 lengths, with France's Doctor Dino kicking strongly for third a further three-quarters of a length away. Kato was thrilled with the success and will now take Shadow Gate home to prepare for a return clash with the outstanding Meisho Samson next month. 'He has been a very good improver this season and I am very happy that he was able to come to Singapore and win this race,' Kato. 'He showed he was up to this standard at his last start in Japan and I hope he can return home and be successful again.' Although tracking wide for the entire trip, Tanaka said Shadow Gate had travelled like a winner from an early stage. 'He was striding well and was very comfortable throughout the race,' Tanaka said. 'When he went to the lead in the straight I was still confident he was going to be very hard to beat.' Kato said Shadow Gate, a winner of six of his 18 starts, would have a rematch with triple Group One winner Meisho Samson in the Takarazuka Kinen (2,200m) at Hanshin on June 24, with the trainer also pencilling in Hong Kong in December providing the near-black stallion maintains his form. Cosmo Bulk's trainer, Kazunori Tabe, was proud of the five-year-old's performance but paid respect to the winner's performance. 'I am very proud of his effort tonight but the winner was too good,' Tabe said. 'I hope I can come back next year and try to win again.' Doctor Dino's connections were thrilled with the five-year-old's performance, while Setembro Chove's fourth placing was considered as good as a win for Singapore-based trainer Patrick Shaw. 'I could not be more proud of the horse's effort to be the first local home,' Shaw said. 'He has taken a big jump in class, come from third last and showed himself to be a genuine Group horse.' England's Kandidate was given every chance in finishing fifth, while South African visitor Oracle West wound up in sixth after being in the middle of three leading horses throughout.
