“Magic Man” Joao Moreira
While the attention has been drawn towards the 22 contenders of the two International races all week, it was the comeback of Singapore’s four-time champion jockey Joao Moreira that stole the show on Friday morning. The mercurial Brazilian jockey had not ridden at Kranji since his last meeting on October 13, 2013 when his win-meter stopped whizzing away at 723 wins before he left for Hong Kong to continue his career.
Back for a flying visit just to ride the John Moore-trained pair of MILITARY ATTACK (Singapore Airlines International Cup) and STERLING CITY (KrisFlyer International Sprint) in trackwork, Moreira returns to Hong Kong to ride at the Sha Tin meeting on Saturday before coming back on Sunday in a bid to add the two races that have eluded him in his five stellar seasons in Singapore. After his two rides, the popular hoop went about the track catching up with old friends and fans alike.
Damien Oliver
Another top jockey who is familiar with Kranji and was back in the thick of the action at trackwork was Australian champion jockey Damien Oliver. He flew in from Melbourne on Thursday, did not miss the Chill Party at Clarke Quay, before fronting up at Aussie expat trainers Jane Chapple-Hyam’s and Jeremy Gask’s doorsteps the next morning to ride MULL OF KILLOUGH (SIA Cup) and MEDICEAN MAN (KrisFlyer) respectively for their first piece of faster work on the Polytrack.
Otherwise, the first turf outing of French SIA Cup contender SMOKING SUN (together with SI SAGE) caught the eye as well, especially that of his SIA Cup-winning trainer Pascal Bary (Gloria De Campeao in 2009).
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City Lad (SG) – Desmond Koh
Slow canter on the outside of the Polytrack with track rider aboard. “It was just maintenance work with him. He’s ready and I will just keep him ticking over until Sunday,” said trainer Desmond Koh.
Military Attack
Dan Excel & Military Attack (HK) – John Moore
Both horses galloped over 1200m on the turf for the first time with race-rider Joao Moreira aboard Military Attack and track rider Kelvin Wan aboard Dan Excel. They stopped the clock at 37.6 seconds for the last 600m. Moreira flew down from Hong Kong on Thursday night and was in Singapore for less than 24 hours to work with his two rides, the other one being the Moore KrisFlyer runner Sterling City. “This is the first time all three horses are on turf which will be the surface they’ll be competing on Sunday and I wanted them to get acquainted with the surface,” said Hong Kong-based trainer Moore. “The turf here in Singapore, in my opinion, has better coverage than in Hong Kong and is as good as any you’ll get in the tropics. The two of them went over six furlongs and I was happy with their work. I got good feedback from Joao who felt that Military Attack is in better shape than he was in Dubai and the horse seems to like Singapore very much. Dan Excel is a warhorse and he always delivers on the day and brings home prizemoney and as I said before, if the other favourites don’t bring their ‘A’ game on that day, he’ll be there to take their spot in the placings. We have two fit horses on our hands and we’re going in with high hopes of repeating last year’s win.”
Johnny Guitar
Johnny Guitar (SIA Cup) & Slew Of Lode (KrisFlyer) – Patrick Shaw
Both Patrick Shaw runners cantered for one lap on the Polytrack and did some pacework down the home straight with Johnny Guitar (Barend Vorster) quickening up in 38.6 seconds in the last 600m and Slew Of Lode (John Powell) going a little over a second quicker in 37.4 seconds. “Very happy with their work today,” said trainer Patrick Shaw. “They both looked very well, very good. They had a little bit of a blowout today. I’ll see how they’re eating later and decide if they’ll do some slow work tomorrow or just hand-walk them around the stables. Our job is done, now it’s up to the jockeys.”
Limario (RUS) – Doug Watson
Easy canter over 1 ¼ mile on the Polytrack with track rider Martin Pearson up. “It’s his first day back after his work on Wednesday and I was pleased with the way he pulled up and he’ll canter over a mile tomorrow,” said trainer Doug Watson who has come to terms with barrier No 12 drawn the day before. “It’s okay. We just have to deal with the cards we’re dealt. I just hope he (Limario) is not running four wide on the first turn and he’s able to save some ground. If we can do that then we can go from there.”
Mull Of Killough
Mull Of Killough (UK) – Jane Chapple-Hyam
Cantered and extended over last 300m on Polytrack with jockey Damien Oliver in the saddle, clocking 39.4 seconds in last 600m. “All’s well with him. Damien rode him for the first time this morning and he just let him have an easy canter before quickening up turning into the straight,” said trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam. “Damien just let him stride along in his hand. He was very happy with him and I’m happy too.” Top Melbourne jockey Damien Oliver, who sat on Mull Of Killough once when fourth in the Emirates Cantala Stakes (1600m) last November, gave a good review after he jumped off his SIA Cup mount. “The horse is in good condition and I would say he looks better than the last time I saw him in Melbourne when he had his winter coat on. Jane told me he is healthy in his weight and certainly stronger.”
Side Glance (UK) – Andrew Balding
Walked and trotted once on Track 6 with track rider Leanne Masterton aboard. “He just had an easy time down that back track today,” said track rider Leanne Masterton. “He’ll do the same tomorrow, but probably over two of them.”
Si Sage (USA) – Darrell Vienna
Cantered on the turf track under race-rider David Flores, with Smoking Sun two lengths behind him. He ran the last 600m in 42.6 seconds. “He did 1 ½ lap on the grass and was on his toes out there. I would have liked him to go a little easier, but he looked comfortable,” said trainer Darrell Vienna. “I don’t know if he rattled it on. He was in front of the other horse, but how manageable he was, I’m not sure. It was my first time seeing him work in Singapore, but overall, I was pretty happy with his condition.”
Smoking Sun
Smoking Sun (FRA) – Pascal Bary
Went for a canter on the turf under track rider Patrick Lemagny, with Si Sage leading him two lengths clear, before eventually passing him in the home straight to run the last 600m in 41 seconds. “He is very well in his action and we got a good lead into the track. On his own, he doesn’t do much,” said French trainer Pascal Bary with the Niarchos family racing manager Alan Cooper by his side. “He accelerated very well in the last bit. It was perfect.”
Tokei Halo (JPN) – Hisashi Shimizu
Did not work today. Was just hand-walked around the sand ring at the International stables compound. “Today is his rest day and we just want to keep him relaxed,” said trainer Hisashi Shimizu. “The jockey (Hirofumi Shii) was also happy with the draw (the Japanese entire will jump from gate 9). The horse has a lot of speed and he prefers to race him on the outside.”
Tropaios (SG) – Michael Freedman
Light work on the uphill track.
Wild Geese (SG) – Steven Burridge
Pacework on the uphill track. “He did pacework up the hill,” said trainer Steven Burridge. “He worked well and tomorrow, he will do a bit of canter. He’s good as gold.”
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Balmont Mast
Balmont Mast (IRE) – Edward Lynam
Hacked on the Polytrack under track rider Declan Quirke. “He just had a hack on the outside of the Polytrack and will have a blowout tomorrow on the Polytrack as well,” said track rider Declan Quirke. “He’s very fresh and was pretty good in his action.”
Captain Obvious & El Padrino (SG) – Alwin Tan
Both had a light canter on Track 4 over 1000m. “My track riders took them out today and both horses returned looking pretty well and I’m quite happy with them. There’s really nothing much else for us to do,” said leading local trainer Alwin Tan. “All the work is done and I’m just looking forward to sending them out for the big race on Sunday.”
Emperor Max (SG) – Stephen Gray
Trotted on the trotting track (Track 5) and cantered over one lap on the inside sand track (Track 3) with track rider and assistant-trainer Peter Hutton up. “He looked nice and bright and I’m very happy with him,” said trainer Stephen Gray. “Drawing gate 5 was perfect for him, he can do what he wants for once. If you get gate 1 or 2 you’re sort of committed and same with the outside gates, you’re committed as well. Gate 5 is great for us and he can decide what he wants to do for a change. “(Race rider) Zac (Purton) rang me up yesterday and he was very pleased with the gate. We had a nice chat and I told him it’s in his hands now. The horse is ready.”
Goal Keeper (SIN) – Theo Kieser
Went for a swim. “He’s gone for a swim again and will probably do the same tomorrow,” said trainer Theo Kieser. “I’m trying to get some weight on him. I usually race him very sparingly and usually give him a month’s break in between races. But the last few months, he’s had three really hard races (all at Group level) and he’s lost weight quite significantly. He’s picked it up again so that’s good.”
Lucky Nine
Lucky Nine (HK) – Caspar Fownes
Went up and down Track 4 for his warm-up and then had an easy canter on Track 2 (Polytrack) over two laps with track rider Richard So in the saddle. “He’s been eating well and is still very relaxed,” said track rider Richard So. “He’s up to his horse racing weight and I’m very happy with his workout today. Look at him, you can see how strong and fit he looks. He (groom Man Kit Chiu) has been taking some pictures of the horse to send back to the boss (trainer Caspar Fownes is back in Hong Kong) just to give him updates. Tomorrow will be another quiet day for him and I’ll wait for instructions from the boss about what to do for tomorrow.”
Medicean Man (UK) – Jeremy Gask
Medicean Man
Race-rider Damien Oliver took Medicean Man for a canter around the Polytrack and was clocked at 39.9 seconds for the last 600m. “I’m very pleased with his work and the way he has come along,” said trainer Jeremy Gask. “He just went over half-a-mile at evens, and improved in the last bit when Damien just gave him a squeeze. This is to just keep him interested and leave him on his own. He’s put on a bit more weight in the last 24 hours. He is coming on at the right time. I wasn’t sure whether to gallop him on turf or Polytrack today. I thought the turf track was firm enough and had a nice dew on it and I thought he may as well save it for raceday. He works on Polytrack back home anyway. So I was happy to give him a run on the Polytrack. If he was drawn wide in the race, I would probably have run him on the turf, as he would have to do a little more work.”
Australians were reunited when Damien Oliver took the ride on Medicean Man for his first and only serious hit-out at Kranji. “He felt nice and bright this morning. He was taking in his new surroundings and had a good canter on the Polytrack,” said Melbourne jockey Damien Oliver. “I remember Jeremy (who hails from Adelaide) very well, and I’ve always followed his career in England. It’s great to get a chance to ride for him midway between England and Australia!”
Sterling City
Sterling City (HK) – John Moore
Galloped over 800m on turf for the first time with race-rider Joao Moreira aboard, coming home in 39.2 seconds in the last 600m. “He was out first and did a shorter gallop than the other two,” said trainer John Moore, who was accompanied by his son George and daughter Caroline as they kept a close eye on Sterling City and followed him onto the turf. “He ran for 800m but I don’t have his time. He looks like he’s in the same form that he was in Dubai (where Sterling City won the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in March).”
Zac Spirit (SG) – Cliff Brown
Cantered on Track 4. “He just had an easy time on Track 4 today. All’s going well with him,” said trainer Cliff Brown.
(source: Singapore Turf Club)
