Friday, 19 January 2018: Form previews for Singapore racing at Kranji Friday January 19

Nova Strike

Race 1

Selections; 4 PEACH BOWL - 3 OPTIMUM STAR - 5 OCEAN MASTER - 6 THE DODGER
A tough opener for punters with no horses having any serious recent form with PEACH BOWL'S last start fourth the shining light. The 5YO did battle away manfully on a leaders biased track over 1400m on that occasion and given he has won this trip and track and retains J Powell, he looks the benchmark. The tote will give us a good guide on who is going to beat him with OPTIMUM STAR likely to improve on some poor recent form back on his preferred surface while the maiden, OCEAN MASTER, will also appreciate being on the all-weather. Of the rest, THE DODGER is resuming from the widest gate but should run a solid race for G Boss while BIG BANKER's trainer and jockey are in form and he will keep the all honest late. Betting Strategy - tote watched advised, PEACH BOWL win.


Race 2
Selections; 1 CROWN GIFT - 9 WHAT'S NEW - 4 BEAUTIFUL DAY - 6 EINSTEIN'S CROSS
Two horses with raced form in CROWN GIFT and WHAT'S NEW should dominate the early markets in this Restricted Maiden and may very well fight out the finish. And while WHAT'S NEW may start favourite on the back of a good debut and a subsequent nice trial, CROWN GIFT looked a good thing beaten last start and can atone. The 3YO was solid without being a threat at his first two starts but after finding trouble in the straight to just miss at start three, he gets his chance. He has drawn wide but so has WHAT'S NEW so both horses will need luck. Plenty of interest in the debutantes including BEAUTIFUL DAY who has the best exposed trial form, EINSTEIN'S CROSS who will be prominent throughout with B Vorster up while a market watch is advised on SUNNY BILL who looked to have some in hand at a trial in December. KISS YOUR SONG is a query on the turf but worth a look on recent Poly form. Betting Strategy - CROWN GIFT win, keep SUNNY BILL safe at value.

Race 3
Selections; 2 MASTER OF MALIBU - 6 PREFERRED - 3 RED CLAW - 4 SATELLITE WINNER
The big question in this race is will the form from SATELLITE WINNER's maiden win hold up in what looks a solid Class 4 Poly sprint. The 4YO had excuses on debut before winning well enough in Open Maiden Company but the field did look weak, so happy to keep safe against some others with solid Class 4 form under their belt. The best of those is MASTER OF MALIBU who was in the winning mix against BE BEE last start this trip and track and that form will more than hold up here on the back of a nice trial. RED CLAW is also in solid form and handles the Poly so can win while PREFERRED has the most consistent recent form under his belt but hasn't won since June 2016, which is a huge concern. Betting Strategy - MASTER OF MALIBU confident win.

Race 4
Selections; 8 CLAUDIA'S BEAUTY - 1 MR HOPKINS - 11 BIG WAVE - 6 YULONG HOLY FLYING
While a horse like MR HOPKINS could improve first-up after a spell and BIG WAVE showed he wins a race soon after placing on the Poly in solid maiden Company last start, CLAUDIA'S BEAUTY looks the benchmark on exposed form. The 4YO mare was solid at her Singapore debut in Class 4 Company and backed that up with a nice run in Novice Company on the Poly. From gate 3 back in Maiden Company, the race does look hers to lose with R Curatolo from gate 3. As mentioned, MR HOPKINS resumes and certainly showed enough at his first two runs to win a race like this while BIG WAVE is a slight query on the turf but hard to fault what he showed last start on the Poly. Nothing else appeals although YULONG HOLY FLYING could be the improver. Betting Strategy - CLAUDIA'S BEAUTY win.

Race 5
Selections; 3 NOVA STRIKE - 5 IRON MAN - 7 HERMANO MENOR - 10 BATTLE OF TROY
NOVA STRIKE has hit form in Group races on the Poly and while six of his eight wins have been on the all-weather track, he more than handles the turf at this level and looks hard to beat. The 5YO is versatile too winning over 1700m two back in the Colonial Chief and his effort to drop back to place over 1200m in the New Year Cup was excellent so 1400m looks ideal with a handy Troy See 1kg claim. And although the race has depth with the likes of HERMANO MENOR, BATTLE OF TROY, MIGHTY KENNY and CONILAD all some hope with no weight, the bang-in-form IRON MAN is the danger. The 5YO is up in Class but comes off three straight wins - the last two over 1400m - and has to be respected as does MR SPIELBERG and the Dubai bound BAHANA on class alone with best work expected late. Betting Strategy - NOVA STRIKE win.

Race 6
Selections; 4 RED RIDING WOOD - 1 PANACHE - 6 FALKIRK LEAD - 5 HAPPY SAGA
You can throw the proverbial blanket over this field with most having a winning show on recent form but happy to think RED RIDING WOOD’s purple patch may continue. The only last start winner in the race is gunning for a hat-trick and while both those wins were in Class 5, this Non Premier Class 4 looks suitable and with V Duric up, he can win again. But you can make a strong case for plenty of others and there has to be value about. From the top, PANACHE wins a race like this without surprising while ARR FLAIR is suited this trip and track and goes close with M Rodd up. Add HAPPY SAGA, FALKIRK LEAD, SUGARTIME JAZZ and CARNELIAN into the mix and it will pay to look for one at odds in a race like this. Betting Strategy - FALKIRK LEAD each-way.

Race 7
Selections; 1 GILT COMPLEX - 5 FORTUNE WINNER - 8 ECLIPSE SPLASH - 9 CHAIRMAN
Oddly, the best-weighted horse in this division of the Kranji A over 1400m is GILT COMPLEX who carries the top weight of 59.5kg. After a sensational finish to the 2017 season, which included Raffles and Gold Cup wins, GILT COMPLEX is in rare form and fresh enough to think 1400m suits with connections happy to make hay while the sun shines. But again the race has depth and the finish could be a beauty with two other last start winners in ECLIPSE SPLASH and CHAIRMAN in the mix with no weight and FORTUNE WARRIOR in good enough form to think he will have a big say late. You can't discount the Le Grange pair of MR FANTASTIC and MAJESTIC MOMENTS and even the Dubai-bound NEWLANDS could be some hope with A Munro to steer. Betting Strategy - GILT COMPLEX/FORTUNE WINNER swinger.


Race 8
Selections; 7 SCORPIO - 1 CHALAZA - 12 DREAMWEAVER - 13 XIONG FONG
A terrific race to finish what should have been a very entertaining days racing and while CHALAZA is due, probably starts favourite and wins without surprising, SCORPIO is the horse to watch. The Pins 4YO had only managed a second placing from some ten-career starts before changing stables and breaking his maiden status at start 11 in Class 5. Start 12 saw much the same result but it was start 13 - an eased down win in Class 4 - that suggests he could be up to this Company. But CHALAZA is in fine form - albeit without winning - and will be hard to hold out late. But the race has depth and happy to look at some big value in DREAMWEAVER down in the weights with XIONG FONG, KINGSMAN, I'VE GOT A FEELING and WONDERFUL KNIGHT all in the mix. Betting Strategy - SCORPIO win, saver on DREAMWEAVER at odds.