Military Attack Draws Well

Oratorio’s brilliant son Military Attack

With Singapore racing’s big day approaching on Sunday, the barrier draws have been announced for the SIA Cup and the KrisFlyer Sprint. We also catch up on the track work on Thursday morning.

There will be plenty of interest in Avontuur stallion Oratorio’s brilliant son Military Attack who has drawn at 3.

Dan Excel, who set a new course record when winning the race last year, has drawn less favourably at 10.

It was a busier morning for the overseas brigade on Thursday with three of the Hong Kong gallopers upping the ante for the first time since they arrived on Saturday – Aerovelocity, Rich Tapestry and Dan Excel.

That does not mean the others enjoyed a day off. Except for Japan’s Meiner Frost, they all came out for their daily exercises. Even if Bahrain sprinter Hototo and French raider Smoking Sun have yet to emerge on the main tracks, they still looked spot-on as they cantered on the bridle round the backstraight training lanes.

Among the overseas training ranks, Hong Kong-based Kiwi trainer Paul O’Sullivan was the latest to arrive at the tracks, where he saw Aerovelocity at his first serious hit-out along with former top French jockey-turned-trainer Freddy Head, who rolled back the years when he set foot at a Singapore racecourse for the first time since he last rode in the 70s at the old Bukit Timah track. Head was on hand to watch Singapore Airlines International Cup contender Free Port Lux spin for a couple of laps around the Polytrack.

As for the locals, it was a quiet day, except for Quechua who was the only one who broke up the go-slow mode with a sparkling gallop on the course proper with his race-rider Corey Brown in the irons.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL CUP

 Cooptado (SG) – Patrick Shaw

Pat Shaw – happy with the work

Cantered over two laps of Track 2 under jockey Barend Vorster.

“I was looking at sending him on the grass but in the end decided to just give him two laps of canter on the Polytrack,” said trainer Patrick Shaw.

“He is fit and well and tomorrow I will just give him a bit of a sprint straight up.”

 Smoking Sun (FRA) – Pascal Bary

Trotted and cantered up and down Track 6 with track rider Patrick Lemagny in the saddle, running the last 600m in 45.1 seconds.

 “He did the same trot, “galop de chasse” (light canter) and canter back up the straight that,” said track rider Patrick Lemagny. “But he just went a little quicker this morning.

“He’s improving all the time. He was never meant to do much as he raced 15 days ago.”

 Meiner Frost (JPN) – Noboru Takagi

 Hand-walked around the sand ring at the International stables.

 “Very happy with the way he looks. He looks in good condition and has worked very well,” said trainer Noboru Takagi who arrived on Wednesday and was the first time seeing his SIA Cup contender since he left Japan on May 9.

“(Assistant-trainer) Satoshi (Manukata) has done a very good job with him. I am also happy with his gallop yesterday.”

Manukata said it was all about putting in the final touches until race night on Sunday.

“He will come out for some canter on Track 2 tomorrow and we may even take him for some barrier practice, just load in and come out.”

Dan Excel (HK) – John Moore

Dan Excel set a new course record in the 2014 SIA Cup

Went for 1200m gallop on the turf with track rider Thomas Yeung up, clocking 35.9 seconds in the last 600m.

“We brought him out for a 1200m gallop on the turf,” said trainer John Moore who was at his first Kranji appearance. “He was running at a good pace, around 1min 21 to 23secs.

“The rider reported he worked very well and from what I can see, the horse has pulled up very well too.

“His is now at his race weight and is peaking at the right time for this Sunday.

“We are expecting a repeat of last year’s performance.”

Military Attack (SIA Cup) & Lucky Nine (KrisFlyer) (HK) – Caspar Fownes

Lucky Nine (Danny Suen) and Military Attack (Paul Lo) both cantered two rounds on Track 2.

“They both did the same thing,” said Lucky Nine’s track rider Danny Suen.

“They just cantered for two rounds around the Polytrack. Very relaxed. Nothing too demanding.”

Free Port Lux (FRA) – Freddy Head

 One lap of trot and slow canter (1500m) and one lap of canter (1400m) on Track 2 (Polytrack) under track rider Philippe Bruneau, running the last 600m in 44.7 seconds.

“He is magnificent. He is a very forward horse and is in very good condition,” said trainer Freddy Head who was for the first time on hand at Kranji.

“He was very calm this morning and he will have a little wind-opener on the Polytrack on Saturday and that’s it. He is ready.

“All we did with him was maintenance work and get him to adapt to the local conditions. I was actually quite surprised he has taken working under the lights well as we don’t work in night conditions back home.

“He perspires a little as it is quite hot but otherwise he is eating and drinking, well. My lads told me he was eating quite a lot.”

Johnny Guitar, Quechua, Slew Of Lode (SIA Cup) & Magneto (KrisFlyer) (SG) – Patrick Shaw

 Quechua galloped on turf with race-rider Corey Brown (38.9 seconds for the last 600m) while Johnny Guitar and Slew Of Lode did two laps of canter on the Polytrack (Track 2). KrisFlyer runner Magneto with race-rider Nooresh Juglall up cantered on the uphill track.

 Quechua galloped very well this morning. He was hard-held by Corey and probably did 29 in the last 600,” said trainer Patrick Shaw.

He pulled up very well. That was a really nice workout and the two others (Johnny Guitar and Slew Of Lode) are also very well.

“Magneto has come along very well and his feet issues are under control. Touch wood he will be okay – so far so good.”

 Stepitup (SG) – Laurie Laxon

 Slow work on Track 2 (Polytrack) and went for a swim in afternoon.

“He just had some slow work on the Poly this morning,” said assistant-trainer Shane Ellis.

“His prep is all done and he doesn’t need anymore. He’s an easy horse to ride, he doesn’t pull and all we need now is a good draw and luck in the running.”

Wild Geese (SG) – Steven Burridge

 Cantered over two laps on Track 2 with Julie Burridge up.

 “He’s all good. He galloped yesterday and had an easy time this morning,” said trainer Steven Burridge.

“e’ll just keep him ticking over now.”

KRISFLYER INTERNATIONAL SPRINT

Aerovelocity (KrisFlyer) – Paul O’Sullivan

Track rider Chew Yew-chung took him out for an 800m gallop on Track 1, reeling off the last 600m in 43.1 seconds.

“He is an excitable horse. The track here is similar to Japan as they’re both left-handed tracks,” said trainer Paul O’Sullivan who was at his first visit to the Kranji tracks.

“He went for an 800m gallop on Track 1 (turf) at a 28-30sec pace.

“Compared to the Japan warm up, he seems more aggressive here. That’s probably due to the turf. He definitely prefers turf over Polytrack.”

Rich Tapestry – has a chance

Rich Tapestry (HK) – Michael Chang

A trot on Track 4 followed by a gallop for 800m on Track 1 with track rider Sit Shun-keung astride, stopping the clock at 36.1 seconds for the last 600m.

“He went on grass today and did a gallop over 800m,” said track rider Sit Shun-keung.

Hototo (BAH) – Fawzi Nass

Trotted and hacked on Track 6 before cantering back with track rider Hussain Abdulla in the saddle.

“He just stretched out a little more on the same track he has been using from Day 1,” said assistant-trainer Nicolas Iguacel.

“It’s taken him a couple of days to reach his best but he is very well now. He’s done seven, six, five furlongs and I would say that was his best work so far.

“There is no need for fast work. I liked the way he relaxed today.

“If he doesn’t go mad on raceday, he’ll have a chance.”

El Padrino (SG) – Alwin Tan

Went for a swim.

“He just went for two laps of the swimming pool. He’s all good,” said trainer Alwin Tan.

“He will just canter for 1000m on Track 6 tomorrow.”

Emperor Max (SG) – Stephen Gray

Walked around the stables.

”He just walked today. He’s great and he is pretty ready,” said trainer Stephen Gray.

“His work is all done. We can’t do much more now.”

Kiwi Karma (SG) – Michael Clements

Cantered over one round of Track 4 with race-rider Manoel Nunes up.

“I was away in Macau and didn’t get a chance to ride her until today. I was very happy with her,” said jockey Manoel Nunes.

“She is in very good shape and Mike and the boys have done a great job with her. She’s only three but she is a tough fighter and I know she will give 100% in the race.”

Zac Spirit (SG) – Cliff Brown

Cantered over one lap on Track 4 and went for a swim.

“He’s in great order. We will just potter around with him,” said trainer Cliff Brown.

“Our job is almost done. The draw will be crucial, but one thing’s for sure, whatever he draws, we can’t change it.”