First Singapore Group One for Mark Walker

Champion Singapore trainer Mark Walker has celebrated his first Group One win in the island nation with Elite Invincible.

The ex-pat New Zealander won five premierships in his home country and had 22 Group One winners for Te Akau Racing but Sunday’s Charity Bowl (1600m) was his first since he made the move to Singapore in 2010.

“At home, David Ellis (Te Akau principal) buys the best and you’re spoilt for choice of Group One winners and it’s harder to get that quality here,” Walker said.

“It’s taken a while and I’ve got a really good team and you don’t lose your ability to train Group One winners.”

Walker has won two Singapore trainers’ premierships and is on 30 winners this season, one behind Shane Baertschiger who gave South Australian apprentice Emily Finnegan her first Singapore winner, Gol Goal, on Sunday.

Finnegan is spending three weeks in Singapore as part of her prize as the dux of the South Australian Apprentice Academy last season.