FLYING NEMO THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

Pacific Vampire toothless at 3rd start, bubble burst by 281 shot

Death and taxes are still the only certainties in life.

That was the stark reminder in Race 10 on May 18, when raging favourite Pacific Vampire got rolled, slain by $281 long shot Flying Nemo.

Yet, nothing untoward could have foretold his downfall in the $70,000 Class 3 1,400m race, the penultimate event in the 11-race programme.

By the time the Kranji Mile was put astern, favourite backers had more or less had a good day filling their pockets.

Out of nine races, five firstelects, Buuraq Sixty-One ($19), Lim's Saltoro ($6), Greatham Boy ($14), Super Baby ($16) and Lim's Kosciuszko ($7) in the Kranji Mile, had obliged.

The others, Centurion ($30), Cheerful Baby ($31), Ace Of Diamonds ($27) and Hole In One ($34), were also in the market.

Value chasers who had been seeking the next roughie to buck the trend probably thought of skipping Race 10.

The unbeaten Jason Ong-trained Pacific Vampire had frightened them off.

In two races and three trials, he had obliterated his rivals by an aggregate of almost 28 lengths.