Friday, 18 October 2019: Trainer John O’Hara has always had a high opinion of exciting US sprinter Fame Star, but feels his run in Sunday’s $85,000 Wild Geese 2014 Stakes Class 2 race over 1200m will give him a better idea if he is up there with the best.

Fame Star winning the NOVICE

The Twirling Candy four-year-old is coming off a hot streak of three consecutive Kranji wins that have sling shot him from Class 4 to Class 2 level in a matter of two months.

It was arguably his last-start win in a Class 3 race over 1200m on September 22 which had the crowd gasping in awe the most, including his handler.

Shooting straight to the lead as is his customary style, Fame Star made full use of his high cruising speed through the first half of the race. While the backmarkers usually come chipping away at the margin inside the last furlong, this time he kept up strong sectionals to detach himself further from the chasing pack and score with 2 ¾ lengths to spare from Lim's Craft, another rising star.

O'Hara and Constance Cheng, the principal owner of Toast Trusts & Kadima Stable, could rub their hands in the knowledge they had something out of the box under their barn roof.

"He is facing a much stronger field on Sunday, but the horse has kept improving with every run," said O'Hara.

"At his last start, he won a very nice race and his timing (1min 9.33secs) was very impressive. He has continued to progress after that run.

"Obviously, Bold Thruster is a very good horse. He's quick, but he's been a bit slow out of the gates at his last couple of starts.

"My horse is pure speed, he will go forward again from the good gate (five). Simon (Kok Wei Hoong) knows what to do as he's won at his last three races.

"He will carry only 51.5kgs while Bold Thruster carries 59kgs. I still respect Bold Thruster, though, and it's a bigger test for Fame Star this time, he is still in with a live chance."

O'Hara has not had a champion galloper under his care since Spalato, or a speedy customer since the brilliant Emerald Hill, who actually does have something in common with Fame Star, besides both being fleet-footed conveyances from the US.

"Melvyn Ezekiel (Singaporean bloodstock agent based in the US) bought both Fame Star and Emerald Hill," said O'Hara.

"It's great for Melvyn and Constance to have a good horse. Constance deserves it as she has supported Singapore racing for a long time, and Stephen Crutchley, my assistant-trainer also deserves a lot of credit for having looked after this horse from Day 1."

Depending on how Fame Star   runs this Sunday, O'Hara may then raise him to loftier targets as soon as next month.

He has locked in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy on November 8 as a possible assignment. He has no doubt the 1400m trip of the handicap feature will be right up his alley.

"If things go to plan, I'd like to run him in the EW Barker," said O'Hara who has not been present in feature races this year.

"He ran second over 1400m once. If he gets in, he will probably get in at a low weight."