Friday, 13 October 2017: Singapore racing best bets, race by race analysis looking at the full Singapore card on Friday the 13th of October, with selections and information on the main contenders.

Clutha Lad

RACE 1
Another tricky Class 5 field to try and find the winner from. SOLITAIRE (2) the 9yo now with David Kok, believe it or not, is having his first start in Class 5 at his 56th raceday appearance. He has been a good horse over the years winning five and placing on nineteen occasions. It may pay to keep an eye on him in this line-up. From the trials WAR STORY (4) out of the Shane Baertschiger yard trialled really nicely last week to win in 61.49 and looked to be under a good hold by John Powell. He had the addition of the blinker-pacifiers which seem to do the job. He looks to be a very strong chance to break through at his ninth time of asking. OCEAN GENERAL (5) was runner-up last start and looks like he is going to hit some winning form shortly. He is only having his third run from the stable of Leticia Dragon and drops 1.5kgs from his last run which will benefit. KUBERA’S CHIEF (7) for Leslie Khoo has run 4th in three of his last five starts and hasn’t gone round at anything bigger than $90. A horse who certainly doesn’t win out of turn but should be kept safe.

RACE 2
Plenty of interest in this Initiation with many lightly-raced types engaged. TESORO PRIVADO (9) will benefit from his first-up outing where he produced an eye-catching finale to close off for an excellent third. Looks like he is still learning and further improvement is expected from this Ricardo Le Grange-trained 3yo. He will certainly appreciate the lighter weight and looks promising. SKY ROCKET (7) was a strong trial winner in New Zealand at Avondale over 800m earlier this year when still a colt. He makes his debut here for trainer Stephen Gray as a 4yo and has since been gelded. When he won his trial in New Zealand he led and looked impressive and he also produced an all-the-way trial win recently in Singapore clocking a moderate 61.32. There is a big market watch on this son of Casino Prince who might be hard to run down if he leads on the Short Course. However, his main rivals have a much lighter weight so he’ll need to be good on debut to win with 57.5kg. IFFRAGAL (10) has tremendous form with a narrow defeat in the G3 Juvenile Championship. At her next start young apprentice Krisna Thangamani was engaged to ride the filly off the lightweight of 48kgs where she was considered a “good thing”. Unfortunately things went wrong, with the filly wobbling around the final bend and drifting out to unfavourable ground. The Al Arabiya Stable’s 3yo has trialled since and the services of Al Arabiya’s preferred jockey Oscar Chavez have been engaged. THE ODDS (1) dropped back into a Maiden last time and looked very unlucky with jockey Michael Rodd unable to find much room at a crucial stage. His racing pattern suggests he may get back in the field again and be running home strongly so it might have been preferable if this race were on the Long Course.

RACE 3
This class 4 contest looks an ideal opportunity for CHASE (2) to get back to winning ways for the first time since last June. This Alwin Tan-trained runner has only ever had two starts in this grade, resulting in a victory and a very close 2nd three runs ago to Lucky Justice on this surface, he has a touch of class and finds himself in a race that he can most certainly win. Mark Walker is represented by NORTHERN KNIGHT (1) here, who last time out just bumped into one too good in the shape of the progressive grey Gold Faith. That run was over the course and distance and he was sporting the refitted earmuffs (has won in earmuffs) and shaped as if another big run can be expected this time around. ARR FLAIR (7) has been running some really nice races of late over both 1400 and 1600m and had been seen to close off very well in both, which bodes well for another try over this trip. KHUDAWAND (5) steps up in grade and dead-heated last time out with Fuego, he is still lightly-raced and open to a little more improvement and can play a part in the finish of this.

RACE 4
There are a few well-tried types in this race who should have won before now. O’REILLY STAR (3) definitely falls into that category; The Mark Walker-trained 4YO has been a bit disappointing in recent runs. He ended up well back in the run and was finishing off alright albeit having to change ground over the final stages. Punters’ confidence and patience will be wearing thin no doubt. MR HOPKINS (7) has only been to the races twice but looks to be improving with each run. He also comes through the same Lim’s Magic race and the way he made ground, 1600m for this race looks absolutely ideal. ACE HARBOUR (8) from the Ricardo Le Grange stable hasn’t been beaten far recently in his last two starts at $33 and $55. He looked to run home stylishly behind a smart type in Lim’s Magic to be beaten 2.3L into 2nd place and still looks like he has a bit of ring craft to learn yet. Wide draw won't make it easy for him. AUSPICIOUS DAY (10) just might be the best of the rest here for trainer Leslie Khoo. Last start he was backed into $20 in an Open Maiden 1400m race with Zuriman Zulkifli on board and closed off the race nicely in 22.78 for the last 400m. If he can produce a similar effort he has to be respected as a quartet player.

RACE 5
A rather weak looking Class 5 where the top rated horse sits on 33 rating points. That horse is AMISTAD (1) who was a last start winner at a hefty price off 26 points from the Michael Clements stable. That arguably was a stronger race than what he meets here which gives him every opportunity to grab a double in the grade. He has risen 7kgs from that last start. WALTERS BAY (4) has been fair in his last couple of efforts in Open Maiden and Class 5. He has been seen in action at the trials recently when placed 4th. Outside of those two mentioned above it is extremely tricky with the majority of them very much out of form. PEREGRINE FALCON (7) for Leslie Khoo is out of form but has gone round at anything between $17and $259 in his five runs this year so who knows that he is going to do, he does have glimpses of Class 5 1200m form in his past. TENMA (8) has gone the odd good race from time to time but probably would be better suited over slightly more ground.

RACE 6
Interesting field assembled for the Class 5 1800m contest. CLUTHA LAD (1) gets his chance once again in Class 5 company after his solid 4th placing behind race rival Sugartime Jazz. He’s a genuine type in this grade but he has struggled to break through for the win with his three runs in the grade carrying 59kgs. SUGARTIME JAZZ (2), aided by a nice frontrunning ride from Oscar Chavez nabbed the victory at 1700m to return punters $104 which was his biggest quote for some time. That means he is hard to follow and very rarely backs up a good performance from one race to another, however he does have the 3kg claim of Chin Chee Seng. Take on trust. KEY ON KODIAC (8) has been close up in his last couple of runs for 3rd placings from the stable of Cliff Brown. He has been finishing off his races okay and deserves to snare a victory for his connections. TOOBIGTOFAIL (9) for trainer Bruce Marsh was seen running on okay at the end of his 1200m race last Friday night. He has been tried over a few different trips recently and has found himself back at 1700m which is a distance he has won at before in Class 5 and drops 2.5kgs from his last run which looks to suit.

RACE 7
A very competitive line-up to face the starter in this Class 3 contest. MR LUCK (1) who didn’t have any of that at all last start from the in-form Desmond Koh stable and gets no favours again drawing 13 of 13 for the second time in a row. He is a horse who has form in the grade and also at the 1200m distance but things never went his way last start when he drew wide off the track and was caught out there throughout the race and in the straight was right there until the last 100m, it was a brave effort. MARINE TREASURE (2) has had a fantastic last three months or so. Last start in a race where there was plenty of speed, jockey Vlad Duric was constantly at him throughout the run but he did finish the race off nicely. He also added a little extra distance would more than likely suit and he gets that for this run up to the 1200m and he was also found to be not striding out freely. DRACO (5) was a last-start winner for trainer Cliff Brown in a Class 4 race over 1200m. A horse who has always looked above average, he has since had a trial where he placed third behind a new import to Singapore who looks to be a nice type. Barrier 12 is not ideal but keep an eye out for Draco at the end of the race because he can really charge home. SIAM SAPPHIRE (11) looks to be a horse who has not finished winning yet. He has won his last two races in Class 4 and looks to be a type that can take the step-up and be competitive in Class 3 with a light weight of 52kgs. In his twelve runs to date he has only been placed worse than fourth on four occasions so looks to be a must for the quartet.

RACE 8
This looks to be a pretty open Class 4 race with a number of winning hopes. KATAGAS (1) is one of those from the Lee Freedman barn and he has been working well throughout the week leading into this. Recently he hasn’t been far away and being back down to 57kgs from 58kgs last start, he looks to get his opportunity to pick up this race. CHOCOLATS (3) is a new import from Australia and has joined the stable of Shane Baertschiger. He arrived in Singapore from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott with a record of four starts for a win and a placing with the victory posted over 1350m at Newcastle which was nothing short of exceptional. He has placed second in both of his trials here and the most recent of them is definitely worth having a look at. MADE IN CHINA (6) has been beaten by 2.1L in his last two runs in this grade over 1200m at $28 and $22. The James Peters- trained gelding stepping up a little further for this run looks to suit his chances. LIM’S GREETING (7) has been tried over 1400m in his last four runs in this grade and is backing up from last Friday night when the grey closed off nicely to run second beaten half a length. He has won at this distance, also in the grade but that goes back to July 2015. Jumps up an extra kilo from last Friday for Steve Burridge.