Friday, 29 September 2017: Singapore racing best bets, race by race analysis looking at the full Singapore card on Friday the 29th of September, with selections and information on the main contenders.

Cadet looks a good chance in the last of the day

RACE 1
This looks to be a difficult race to assess the form on, but someone has to win right? NOVA RANGER (3) showed punters an improved performance at juicy odds for third placing over 1200m last start. Another horse that has produced the goods in the grade and distance when well backed in May and that was from a long way back in the second quickest sectional of the race. STARSKY (5) trained by John O’Hara with a good positive booking of Alan Munro trialled okay last week and was shot down in the straight last time out over this same distance, must rate a chance. TOP NOTE (6) has just recently joined the stable of Leticia Dragon and trialled well enough last week for a victory in 61.28 by a neck. He doesn't win or place out of turn and 1100m might just be a slight bridge too far but a change of scenery can benefit some horses. Of the rest maybe ONE O NINE (7) is worth a look. He didn't start running over 1100m until December last year but has had a win (January) and a second placing also in this grade so could be an outside prospect.

RACE 2
D'GREAT STAR (2) sat extremely wide last time when a $10 beaten favourite and with an ounce of luck may have won. He meets quite a few of the same rivals here and on his best he should have them covered. His recent trial last Thursday was ok as he was restrained the whole way when beaten 15L. SUPER DENMAN (3) has talent but is proving a work in progress for first-year trainer, Ricardo Le Grange. Last start on the turf he was extremely erratic in the middle stages when wearing blinkers before wilting to finish 7L behind the winner. His recent trial without the headgear was suggestive of improvement but he is still a risky proposition. PARADOR (7) produced a much improved performance at only his second run. His gallant third behind older more seasoned campaigners was full of promise. He was in receipt of some 7kgs from the front pair which clearly was a positive but his improvement was significant. The David Hill-trained gelding has a light weight again here and looks to have plenty of natural improvement to come. FUSION POWER (6) looks a speedy type prepared by Saimee Jumaat. His NZ trials have been quite impressive, however, the 1200m on the Polytrack here can be a test for newcomers. Fusion Power should be prominent in the run given the evidence from his trials in New Zealand and Singapore.

RACE 3
Another very competitive line-up to face the starter on Friday night. SPLINTER (2) has lined up at short odds in his last 5 starts and delivered 3 starts ago over Bao Shan Magic, who has since come out and won himself. A horse who has been kept to trips 1200m and below in his last few which is where he seems best suited given his breeding, he must be respected. WEBSTER (7) who lines up out of the Daniel Meagher stable is the winner of two from three raceday appearances and in his other start which was on debut he ran second to Chopin’s Fantaisie, pretty good form that! He had a quiet trial back in August and he beat up what was probably only just a fair novice field last start. Talented horse, watch the market. HELLO MICHELLE (4) had to contend with Class 3 for the first time when she stepped out last start. She gets back into this OB67 grade in which she can be more than competitive with the right run as she is a mare who likes to get into the clear and run on as witnessed with her win two starts ago, barrier 4 may not be ideal. JULIUS CAESAR (5) from the stable of James Peters missed out last start in a Kranji Stakes C contest when he drew one from the outside in a field of twelve and was caught wide in the run which basically took him out of play. A horse who is much better than what was witnessed last start, again he has come up with a wide barrier of 10.

RACE 4
A Class 5 1200m contest where there are a few contenders that stand out amongst the others. CASTLE QUEEN (2) is one of those for John O’Hara who in her last 4 raceday appearances has run 2nd in three of them and 3rd in the other. Just the winner for one from 17 starts, the big burly mare continues to race well and quotes of less than $26 in her last four, must be respected with the 4kg claim. BEST JADE (6) produced a career best performance last start to win on 33 rating points by 2.8L over 1200m in this grade with Manoel Nunes in the saddle. The Mark Walker-trained runner had been there or thereabouts all year but finally put it all together, may find this a bit tougher with a 3kg penalty. HIGHLIGHT (7) for KY Young is a course/grade/distance winner and his last-start effort suggested he must be credited with a chance, he ground away over a trip that was not to his liking. EVERTRUST (11) from the stable of newly-licensed trainer Tan Kah Soon trialled alright last week when placed second. His last start win when trained by David Hill over his former stablemate Turquoise Son was good enough to say he is probably a quartet player.

RACE 5
There is plenty of depth in the form around several of the runners who line up in this contest. HOSHIKO (1) has run some terrific races in this grade and over this distance in his last few tries, culminating with a victory two back over some proven Class 4 short course specialists. A horse that likes to race up on the pace, he will always give you a great run for your money. LIM’S SINCERE (2) actually beat home Hoshiko his race rival last start by 1 length after trainer Daniel Meagher had given him a slight freshen-up since his failure back at the beginning of June. 58.48 was his winning time last start which is close to what race rival Stock Broker had been running the trip in a few months ago. More weight won’t make it easy. THE COSMOS (3) is another proven performer at this level and distance and chased home Silkino last start over 1100m. Back to 1000m is certainly likely to suit and he shouldn’t have too much worry with the weight because he has won carrying 58kgs in the past. STOCK BROKER (5) as mentioned had been going great guns only a few months ago winning at the trip in 58.46 and 58.18 and that time would see you almost win nine times out of ten in this grade and over this distance. He has had a bit of a let-up since his run behind Hoshiko back at the beginning of August.

RACE 6
Hard race to try and sort out with a lot of patchy form lines from the usual suspects. CLUTHA LAD (1) who has been racing in Class 4 races recently since winning a Class 5 race back in June is a genuine solid performer in this grade. He will appreciate the drop back and will no doubt put in his usual honest run. RAPTOR (2) arrives into Class 5 for the first time out of the stable of Ricardo Le Grange only having his sixth raceday appearance. Has been starting at prices sub $64 and is more than capable of striking in a race like this. Not often we see Zawari Razali riding for Le Grange. GALAXY EXPRESS (3) produced a much improved performance last start only to be beaten by a horse who hadn’t won since January 2015 (Grand Paris). A similar performance would see him feature in the finish here. GENERAL CONATUS (4) who has joined the barn of new trainer Tan Kah Soon from Sonny Yeoh has been consistently fifth in his last four runs, arguably behind some better horses than he meets here. Trialled all right last week with the special bit and crossover noseband applied.

RACE 7
Very handy line-up of horses, in which at least 9 competitors have won at least one race in their last 5 starts. ARHAT (1) is a progressive type who has form on the Polytrack in this grade and at this distance. He carried 53.5kgs when he won that race so carries 3kg more for this assignment. LUCKY JUSTICE (7) is the winner of his last two races in Class 4 company but the step-up to 1700m in this grade with a lighter weight of 53.5kgs would make him a dangerous prospect in this line-up. SARAAB (8) is a horse who is racing well at the moment and has done so all year for Ricardo Le Grange. He won a trial last week by half-a-length in 59.68 and last start was close up behind his stablemate at $25 in this grade and over this distance. SMART VINTAGE (9) is another one who steps into this grade for the first time. The Mohd Yusof-trained runner seems to always line up at prices under $30 recently and with a lovely weight with the 2kg apprentice claim, must be respected over a trip he has had success at in the past.

RACE 8
An interesting race here on the Polytrack, for which the market will surely revolve around the in-form JUSTICE LIGHT (1) for leading handler Mark Walker. Having won his last three races (all for Vlad Duric) this 4yo continues to go from strength to strength, he travelled up smoothly to lead in the home straight last time out to beat Moritz Eclipse (second again since) in a time of 1:10.19, although there are a few negatives with the likely favourite, one being his Polytrack form (two disappointing runs on Polytrack in new year) and the other the step-up in grade is also an unknown, but if translating his turf form to the all-weather and the drop down in distance he can prove hard to beat as he has plenty of scope. CADET (9) for Ricardo Le Grange was last seen chasing home the useful Darc Bounty in a Kranji Stakes C back in June, he has had four trials since that run and looked very good in the most recent of them behind stablemate Super Denman (60.41), a better performer at 1000m (3 wins), but has run well at this trip and should make an impact in this. The likeable mare HIMALAYA DRAGON (7) will be having her first start for new trainer Tan Kah Soon having left the now-retired Sonny Yeoh, proven on both the surface and in this grade of Benchmark 67 she finished off really nice last time in the quickest sectional (22.62) to confirm her well-being and suggest she should go very well again. The first four home can be made up by UNSURPASSED (11), potentially a decent price here, the Mark Walker-trained galloper has won 3 of the course and distance and the ease in grade here should help.