Money Heist Steals the Show With Nose Win in Pools Trophy

Trainer Peter's 6YO claims Singapore gaming outfit's 2nd named race at Turffontein

- Sharon Zhang

Money Heist kept connections and the Singapore Pools' delegation on the edge of their seats before his last-gasp win in the Singapore Pools Trophy 2025 Pinnacle Stakes (1,600m) at Turffontein on Aug 23.

Slated as Race 5 (8.40pm, Singapore time) on the nine-card meeting, the highlight mile race carried the biggest purse of ZAR150,000 (S$11,000) and was named after Pools for a second time since the inaugural edition, Singapore Pools Trophy 2024 Pinnacle Stakes (1,000m), was held on Jan 20, 2024 and won by Mike de Kock's Iphiko with Singapore Gold Cup-winning jockey Muzi Yeni up.

Tony Peter, who trains out of Turffontein, may not boast a resume as glittering as de Kock's, but the up-and-coming conditioner was the one who took centrestage on Saturday.

A recent winner of the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint with Buffalo Storm Cody to bring his total Grade 1 haul to four, Peter was able to produce Money Heist at the right place, right time to enthral the packed Turffontein stand.

Among them were Pools' chief product officer Simon Leong and product planning and development manager Fu Juncong, special guests of South African tote company 4Racing to witness the running of the race named in honour of Pools.

Ridden by Serino Moodley, Money Heist, a Gimmethegreenlight six-year-old, sat in fourth one-off the paint early, and was not far behind leader Texas Red (Kabelo Matsunyane), Fire 'n Flames (S'manga Khumalo) and Argo Alley (Philasande Mxoli).

After turning for home, Argo Alley opted for a run on the inside of Texas Red at the 400m, while Money Heist ($13) and Navajo Nation (Kobeli Lihaba) were right behind.