Outstanding Karaka graduate Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec) was the star of the show in the Singapore Racing Awards on Tuesday evening, sweeping three accolades including Horse of the Year.
The awards honoured the standout performances in Singapore throughout the 2022 racing season, and Lim’s Kosciuszko clearly fit that bill. His 11 starts last year produced seven wins and two second placings, and his victories included the Singapore Derby (1800m) and Lion City Cup (1200m).
Along with the honour of being named Singapore’s Horse of the Year for 2022, Lim’s Kosciuszko was also voted Champion Four-Year-Old and Champion Sprinter.
Lim’s Kosciuszko was offered twice at Karaka by his breeders Trelawney Stud, who passed him in with a $75,000 reserve at Karaka 2019 and with a $60,000 reserve at the 2019 Ready to Run Sale. The Daniel Meagher-trained star has now had 16 starts for 12 wins, earning S$859,093 (NZ$1.04m) for his owners, the Lim’s Stable.
A last-start winner of the Merlion Trophy (1200m) on February 4, Lim’s Kosciuszko is set to line up in this Saturday’s S$300,000 Raffles Cup (1600m).
“Sure he can win, but he’s not fully screwed down for this,” Meagher told the Singapore Turf Club on Tuesday.
“The Raffles Cup is a Group One and he will show his best, but the Kranji Mile (1600m, May 20) is his grand final, so we have to leave some in the tank.
“You can’t go to the well every time, so we really have to plan for peaks throughout the year.”
This was the second time in the last three years that a Karaka graduate has been named Singapore’s Horse of the Year. The winner in 2020 was the $140,000 Karaka 2018 purchase (The) Inferno (Holy Roman Emperor), who was unbeaten in four starts that year including the Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m), Singapore Guineas (1600m) and Lion City Cup (1200m).
