Friday, 1 December 2017: Previews for Singapore race meeting at Kranji Friday December 1

Kingsman

RACE 1
This is an open looking Class 5 sprint on the Polytrack. GREAT SEVEN (1) for trainer Steve Burridge and rider Manoel Nunes has been the runner-up in his past two starts but he will not find it easy with 59kgs. He has been well supported in the market in his past three runs and looks the best horse in the race but without a doubt the weight is a concern. SOON YI (3) has been running okay races without us getting too carried away but he is back into a 1000m race and in Class 5 which was where his last victory came back in April at $15 carrying 59kgs. So he must be respected in this line-up. GOLDEN SPARK (6) had a few fans last start when he lined up over 1000m and boxed on fairly. The last time he won a race was back in September over this distance in 59.22 (55kgs). So if he is capable of that with 58kgs and there’s market support he will be dangerous. BEST JADE (10) wasn’t far away last start when placed fourth. He was a winner five starts ago over 1200m which is probably more his go now. Zawari Razali claims 2kgs.
RACE 2
Can Sattar break through to lose his maiden tag in his final run of the year or will it be one of the debutants? Well, surely SATTAR (1) can! He has had five starts for 2017 and hasn’t been unplaced, but by not winning he has been costly for those supporters of him at $7, $9 and $14. Beaten by a nice 2YO last start he has subsequently been back to the trials last week and won for Oscar Chavez and trainer Ricardo Le Grange. Barrier 11 of 14 is not ideal. FUSION POWER (5) also has an awkward draw of 12 and hasn’t been to the races since the end of October when he was sent out at $10 and could only muster third placing but also has been seen at the trials in the last week or so. Near the 400m he had to be eased off the heels of the eventual winner and still fought on well enough. GRAND CHOICE (6) is one of the debutants in the line-up from Daniel Meagher’s stable and cruised home in a recent trial by 11-3/4L for apprentice Chin Chee Seng. They seem to have given this horse plenty of time as he has had six trials since the end of June, winning four of them. TAUROS (11) from the Cliff Brown yard ran fifth on debut behind Wooden Heart and that was off the back of winning a trial. He closed off all right and could be an improver second-up.
RACE 3
There is plenty of depth in this race and it looks a race where you could get some each-way value. ELITE INVINCIBLE (1) is an interesting newcomer to Singapore and who is now stabled with Mark Walker and this will be the third country he has raced in. He arrives here with a record of one win and three placings from his six raceday starts which have been in the United Kingdom and also the United Arab Emirates with distances ranging from 1400m – 1900m. One to watch off the back of a fourth placing (1.5L) at the trials. FORTUNE SIX (2) carried plenty of support ($26) for Desmond Koh and jockey Vlad Duric on 19/11 and came unstuck. He never really got warm maintaining his position well back in the race. If there is market support again he could be one to watch. MONTAIGNE (3) ran into a smart type by the name of Kingsman last start. However, he wasn’t beaten overly far on Singapore Gold Cup Day. He was up on the pace throughout which is what he likes to do, so once again you should get a good run for your money. BARNATO (4) was a winner at the trials last week by 2.8L in 60.68 for trainer Ricardo Le Grange. He fought on solidly last start behind Deimos who is going through the grades. He is also another who likes to race on or near the pace but it won’t be easy from gate 14.
RACE 4
This is exactly as the name states, an Open Maiden with four last start placegetters. BATTLE PLAN (3) for Bruce Marsh placed last start at a huge dividend for the first time at his sixth start. He was well back and got home in 23.71 and it was encouraging signs for him with the way he ran through the line at the end of the race. BASILISK (6) for trainer Leslie Khoo is only lightly tried with three starts next to his name which includes two second placings. He has been given plenty of time to get over his last raceday effort back at the end of October. Keep an eye on the market. D’GREAT STAR (7) from the Daniel Meagher stable has been backed and beaten on a couple of occasions now but not by far. He has been back and trialled since his last performance in October and was beaten just over 10L behind the unbeaten Nowyousee. His best opportunity was three back when he really should have won but got caught very wide in a small field. PARADOR (8) had been improving with every run but last start raced very poorly and showed little. There was no explanation for that but he has been back and trialled in preparation for this and wore the special bit and the crossover nose band and wasn’t tested.
RACE 5
An open-looking contest here of Class 5 gallopers over the 1800m. RED RIDING WOOD (1) looks hard to fault on his recent performances including that very good victory last start over 1700m. His form had been building and he did finally deliver. Will carry a 2kg penalty with Manoel Nunes on. CHAIRMAN WIND (3) for trainer Steven Burridge was back up in trip last start and in Class 5 where he ran a solid race into 4th. Should he end up with the right run he can be dangerous. CLUTHA LAD (6), well what can you say – this is his kind of race; Class 5, Polytrack two turns! He ended up settling a long way back from barrier 12 last start for Vlad Duric but was home in the fastest last 400m of 25.07 and could be one to go out on a winning note to end the year should he get a nice run in transit. MONGOLIAN CHIEF (8) comes through the same race as Red Riding Wood for Leslie Khoo when he ran well enough into third placing. He is not a horse that wins out of turn but there have been some encouraging signs in the market recently.
RACE 6
A big open field of maiden gallopers looking to round out the year with a victory and some have been trying for a while! A newcomer to Singapore is OHYIOH (1) for Saimee Jumaat and has ended up with a horror draw of 14. This horse raced in New Zealand and had two runs there with the best of them being placed fourth over 1200m at Matamata on a slow track. Prior to racing in NZ he had won two trials and placed second in the other. He looks to have trialled well enough recently for a strong showing on debut. LIBECCIO (4) is still a 12-start maiden who really should have won a race by now and again went oh so close last start behind another long standing maiden One Kinabalu. He really has an opportunity last start with 53kgs but for this race he will have 56kgs. HOWL (5) for trainer Daniel Meagher looks to have some upside and has been supported in all three of his starts. He also should benefit carrying 2kgs less than his last start. Another long-standing maiden in this is CERDAN (9) and if you have been punting him, you will be going broke! Again he was beaten when he seemingly had all the favours out in front last start. Gets into this with Daniel Moor’s 53kgs but it’s almost a case of last chance saloon for the Lee Freedman-trained galloper who has now amassed a record of five second placings from his 19 starts.
RACE 7
A very nice line up greets the starter at the 1400m starting point for the $100k feature. ABSOLUTE MIRACLE (1) has been racing in some strong races over the past few months and gets his opportunity in this grade to be a major player. The Alwin Tan-trained galloper trialled the other week behind his stablemate Nova Swiss in quick time and looked to close off nicely to be only beaten 2.5L. His chances must be respected massively. IRON MAN (2) is looking for the hat-trick after victories in his past two outings. They were both in Kranji C and he has been allowed time to get over both of them. He was not far away in a recent trial and has to carry 58.5kgs for Ricardo Le Grange from barrier 10. WHITE HUNTER (3) last started in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy and once again he led with the light weight of 50kgs but knocked up in the straight. He is back into a grade where he will find it easier and if he has the opportunity to do it on his terms taking the short course into account, he would be a player. BATTLE OF TROY (9) could also be worth looking at in this line-up from the in-form Desmond Koh stable. In his last seven starts he has never been at a quote bigger than $35 and he shouldn’t be dropped just yet.
RACE 8
An excellent Class 3 sprint in prospect here and a chance is taken with the ultra-promising KINGSMAN (9) for the Te Akau Racing Stable and Mark Walker, able to win on his local debut. This very talented galloper was both Listed and Group 3 placed in New Zealand and for all this is a much tougher ask than he faced last time. He does, however, have plenty of upsides and can win again and make it two-from-two. ELUSIVE EMPEROR (1) hardly knows how to run a bad race and last time out, he chased home the ever-improving Super Fortune in a much better race and can once again go very close to winning another here now back into this grade. Many were taken with WEBSTER’s (7) performance in victory last time out on Singapore Gold Cup day when finishing off in 22.98 and has proven he can cope with this quality of field, he should run a big race in this. And finally, SIR ISAAC (6) is advised for the quartet, he is a winner over 1400m on turf and the step back up in distance looks ideal and the Cliff Brown stable is firing on all cylinders at present.
RACE 9
The second division of this Class 4 contest looks to be just as good as the first division. BIRAZ (1) is a better horse than what he showed last start and he has only had limited runs since arriving in Singapore from New Zealand. He has been fancied in the market in his last two runs including when placed third behind Silkino over 1100m. He had issues last start, jumped away poorly and then rider Oscar Chavez reported he was not striding out freely. However, a subsequent veterinary examination revealed that the horse returned having debris in its trachea – so there were excuses. ELITE POWER (2) is another new import to Singapore racing that has joined the stable of Mark Walker. His record is three wins and four placings from his 11 outings with the victories coming over extended 1000m and 1200m trips in the UK. He recently lined up at the trials and ran third beaten 8.5L in 60.14. SUN DREAM (3) was a last-start winner in Class 4 company over 1100m back in September and has been given time to get over that performance where he beat Gran Torino who has since won in the grade and placed in a Class 3 race on Cup Day. Not tested at all in a trial on 16/11 with the blinkers/tongue tie. BE BEE (4) who was one of the star 2YO’s earlier in the season after his performance to win the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe is back. The Shane Baertschiger-trained son of Showcasing has trialled really well through November, winning a trial by 2.5L and also running second in the other. His brilliant Group 2 win might have just seen him peak for that because he was off in the coat for the Juvenile Championship and he probably ran accordingly but certainly wasn’t disgraced.