 Expert - Nicholas Child | |
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| Lead Broadcaster & Commentator at the Singapore Turf Club. Born in London to a non-racing family and after many years of working in some of the best racing stables in the UK, the move was made in to broadcasting and now with many years of experience worldwide which include broadcasting and race calling in the UK, Ireland, Malaysia, India, Mauritius, Singapore and Kranji have now been home for the last 4.5 years. Covering all the big races such as the Lion City Cup, Kranji Mile and both Singapore Derby and Gold Cup. | |
Expert Column for Kranji Mile Day (S1) (Nicholas Child)
S1-1 Class 4 Handicap
This Class 4 Handicap takes place over 1,200m and is the first of the afternoon on the turf track in the Kranji Mile Day.
Many in the contest have one or two questions to answer judged on recent form.
A chance can be taken with the James Peters trained-MR HOOPER, who is now 7 points lower than his last winning mark and is another to have plenty of 1,200m turf form under his belt with the inside barrier being very much to his advantage.
Others to consider would be COUSTEAU, who is potentially off a decent mark nowadays along with the likes of RAMBO trained by Daniel Meagher and the recent Class 5 scorer MALIBU BEACH, this is a tougher ask but MALIBU BEACH has a light weight and if transferring the polytrack form to the turf, he can make an impact at the business end of the race.
TOM CAT has decent speed and is a consistent runner in Class 4. With barrier three, the 4YO is another who can go well in this judged on the pick of his form in what is a very open race.
SELECTIONS: 6. MR HOOPER, 5. COUSTEAU, 2. RAMBO, 14. MALIBU BEACH & 8. TOM CAT
S1-2 Class 4 Handicap
This Class 4 Handicap is a 1,400m turf race.
The race can go the way of the Stephen Gray-trained HEAVENLY DANCER. He lost all chance at the start last time out when well fancied after jumping extremely slowly and losing many lengths in the process. He has since been back to the trials with blinkers on and has trialed very well for this run over a new trip of 1,400m, still a work in progress, the new trip can provide a launch pad for him to get back into the winners circle on a big day.
The last start winner STREET CRY SUCCESS was good when scoring over the same course and distance under C C Wong, now 5 points higher that might not be enough to anchor him fully here in a race that will suit and barrier eight shouldn’t be a problem either.
EASY DOES IT, trained by Stephen Gary, is the stablemate of HEAVENLY DANCER. Although he has shown very poor form in recent starts, he is however now racing off a point lower than when success and might be worth considering at decent odds for the multiples.
On the pick of his form, a horse like MANDRAKE can run well in a race where quite a few runners are out of form but the wide gate won’t make the task any easier and it may be worth including RICVELO with the first time sheepskin cheek pieces on to be doing all his best work late for some minor money.
SELECTIONS: 1. HEAVENLY DANCER, 3. STREET CRY SUCCESS, 2. EASY DOES IT, 4. MANDRAKE & 11. RICVELO
1ST DOUBLE TRIO SELECTIONS (36 unit bets):
S1-2:
Banker – 1. HEAVENLY DANCER
Selections – 3. STREET CRY SUCCESS, 2. EASY DOES IT, 4. MANDRAKE & 11. RICVELO
S1-3:
Banker – 4. ELLIOT NESS
Selections – 11. EVEREST, 7. INFINITE WISDOM, 3. STENMARK & 5. WHIZ FIZZ
S1-3 Novice
This Novice will provide us with a mouthwatering clash between the 1,100m polytrack course record holder ELLIOT NESS and recent first-time out winner EVEREST for Ricardo Le Grange.
ELLIOT NESS was mightily impressive when winning his maiden race on the polytrack just under a month ago when defeating stablemate REIGNITE by almost 4 lengths at the line. Runner-up to the very smart LIM'S KOSCIUSZKO over the same course and distance a couple of runs back, he will handle the turf with no problem and the fact he can run in very quick time is another tick in the right box. The only real concern is the wide barrier in 12 but the 4-time champion Vlad Duric can overcome that.
The biggest threat to the likely favourite is EVEREST for Ricardo Le Grange. A taking winner on debut, this US Bred colt showed a good attitude to beat some more experienced rivals over the same track at Singapore in early May when partnered by Daniel Beasley. The reins are now passed over to C C Wong who will ride ROCKET STAR for the same connections in the Kranji Mile later in the day.
It isn’t just a two-horse race and the Stephen Gray-trained INFINITE WISDOM is a very interesting runner. Placed at local G3 level, he hasn’t really run to form of late, but he is better than that and the booking of Daniel Beasley catches the eye.
STENMARK is yet to win here at Kranji but has put up some good performances so far and is a must for the exotics, along with WHIZ FIZZ for Louis-Philippe Beuzelin and the recent trial was pleasing form this grey son of ORPEN.
SELECTIONS: 4. ELLIOT NESS, 11. EVEREST, 7. INFINITE WISDOM, 3. STENMARK & 5. WHIZ FIZZ
S1-4 Class 4 Handicap
The smallest field of the afternoon will go to post for this polytrack race over the 1,700m.
The recent winner SATURNO SPRING would seemingly be the one to beat here. Having run some good races on the turf prior to winning, this Argentinean bred relished to step up in distance and a return to polytrack to win by three lengths last time out when very well supported. He is now racing off a 7-point higher mark here and the conditions suit him well and even with more weight to carry, he should be a tough nut to crack.
GOLD REWARD was second to the SATURNO SPRING last time and can once again go very well under similar conditions but would seem held on the balance of the form out of that race over 1,600m on polytrack on 9th May. TANGIBLE could be the biggest danger to the favourite and looks to be improving the further he goes. He now tries the polytrack and is more than capable of getting very competitive off a mark of 60.
The number are completed by top weight SOLO SUN now tackling easier company and the possibly well handicapped CARIBBEAN LADY off 57 rated for Marc Lerner.
SELECTIONS: 2. SATURNO SPRING, 7. GOLD REWARD, 3. TANGIBLE, 1. SOLO SUN & 5. CARIBBEAN LADY
S1-5 Class 4 Handicap
This Class 4 Handicap is another Class 4 division to be run over 1,200m.
The exciting LIM'S KOSCIUSZKO is looking to make it 3 wins from as many starts and looks to be heading in that direction. The 3YO son of KERMADEC won a trial last week under a throttle hold by race day jockey Daniel Beasley and certainly didn’t lose any fans in the process.
Trainer Daniel Meagher looks to have a handy team of runners on this feature program, including the SIN G1 Lion City Cup winner LIM'S LIGHTNING in the SIN G1 later in the afternoon and this could well be another headline horse for the stable in coming months.
There doesn’t look to be too many threats to LIM'S KOSCIUSZKO in the class category. I feel they are all running for second and third respectively.
Among those runners I would have to say EXDREAM is one who is holding his form in Class 4 and gets the services of Singapore’s leading apprentice Kamaru Hakim. He is trained by Mark Walker who looks to have him placed well but has run into a very handy horse here.
WHAT YOU LIKE is another not to leave out on the balance of recent form as he finished within first four in the past five starts, along with the top weighted IN ALL HIS GLORY from the Timothy Fitzsimmons stable who is down in grade.
Another top five pick is the Jerome Tan trained BEER GARDEN. His best races have come when he is able to jump and settle in a forward position. He gets the addition of blinkers and that points to a forward showing from this thrice winning gelding.
A nice race but all eyes will be on the exciting 3YO LIM'S KOSCIUSZKO as he looks to progress through the grades. The feature races are coming up and I feel he will be a big player in them throughout the year.
SELECTIONS: 3. LIM'S KOSCIUSZKO, 7. EXDREAM, 6. WHAT YOU LIKE, 1. IN ALL HIS GLORY & 5. BEER GARDEN
2ND DOUBLE TRIO SELECTIONS (36 unit bets):
S1-5:
Banker – 3. LIM'S KOSCIUSZKO
Selections – 7. EXDREAM, 6. WHAT YOU LIKE, 1. IN ALL HIS GLORY & 5. BEER GARDEN
S1-6:
Banker – 4. KHARISMA
Selections – 2. MR MALEK, 1. SACRED REBEL, 3. ZAC KASA & 5. MAKKEM LAD
S1-6 Kranji Stakes A
Kranji Stakes A is a super competitive race, one or two of the runners could potentially have lined up in the SIN G1 Kranji Mile but come here instead.
With plenty of form out of the SIN G1 Lion City Cup on show in the Kranji Mile this year, the eyes are drawn to KHARISMA. A very respectable seventh in the Lion City Cup behind LIM’S LIGHTNING, he was only beaten 2.3 lengths at the line on what was a massive step up in grade for this highly progressive 4YO. The booking of C C Wong to go back on board is a plus and the option to come to this race and not the Kranji Mile I feel can be justified.
One of the most interesting horses on the card this Saturday is MR MALEK. He has now joined trainer Steven Burridge from D L Freedman, never the easiest to keep sound, he is a class act having beaten ROCKET STAR, one of the contenders in the Kranji Mile this year, in August of last year and has trialed nicely ahead of the eagerly anticipated return to action.
The pair from the Mark Walker barn of SACRED REBEL and ZAC KASA can be feared on their best form but both are a little inconsistent and would need a lot to go right for them from the outset.
Finally, the Donna Logan trained MAKKEM LAD will wear his heart on his sleeve, but it remains to be seen if he is up to this class having won a Class 3 level last time out.
SELECTIONS: 4. KHARISMA, 2. MR MALEK, 1. SACRED REBEL, 3. ZAC KASA & 5. MAKKEM LAD
S1-7 Class 4 Handicap
This Class 4 Handicap can see one of the best bets of this feature race card salute the judge in front.
The selection is the Shane Baertschiger-trained, THE MARKSMAN who will be the mount of Danny Beasley.
Still very lightly raced here at Kranji, this son of SHOOTING TO WIN has run some very eye-catching races in defeat behind some smart types so far and this race can be the time to catch him.
Runner-up to the G2 winning import MYSTERY POWER last time out, he has also finished close to the likes of KHARISMA and MY BIG BOSS on the polytrack and he has looked impressive at the trials in preparation for this. He is up just the one point from his recent outing and the conditions look ideal for him to get his head in front.
Recent winner ASGARD MASSIF must be considered to run another nice race, having bolted up last time he was seen in action, but he has 9lbs more to carry and this is a deeper contest.
The top weight EXCEED NATURAL had won the G3 Jumbo Jet Trophy for Leticia Dragon in 2019 but would need to find his better form to play a forward role here.
Others of note at bigger prices would be THUNDER off a workable sort of mark now and will find conditions to suit and GENTLEMEN AGREEMENT is also now on a mark that can see him take a hand in the finish if in the right frame of mood.
SELECTIONS: 2. THE MARKSMAN, 3. ASGARD MASSIF, 6. GENTLEMEN AGREEMENT, 1. EXCEED NATURAL & 7. THUNDER
TREBLE SELECTIONS (27 unit bets):
S1-7: Multiple – 2. THE MARKSMAN, 3. ASGARD MASSIF & 6. GENTLEMEN AGREEMENT
S1-8: Multiple – 10. ROCKET STAR, 2. TOP KNIGHT & 8. MINISTER
S1-9: Multiple – 1. SUN FORTRESS, 4. GOLD STAR & 9. SAVVY COMMAND
S1-8 Kranji Mile
This is the SGD1,000,000 SIN G1 Kranji Mile with some of the very equine stars in Singapore turning up for the party. The winners of 10 local G1 races between them, we will see the likes of multiple G1 scorer TOP KNIGHT, along with Singapore Gold Cup winning stablemate BIG HEARTED and also the 2019 winner MR CLINT, plus top line winner in waiting GRAND KOONTA, ROCKET STAR and of course the Lion City Cup hero LIM'S LIGHTNING.
A super line-up for this year’s race and no representatives from Hong Kong for a second year due to the pandemic, the path is clear for another local horse to take the lion share of the total prize money.
The Lion City Cup winner LIM'S LIGHTNING was brilliant when landing the first feature of the year here at Kranji and in the process beating several today’s rivals headed by ROCKET STAR. Many believed with an extra 100m or a little closer in the run, ROCKET STAR could well have got his head in front of the 2YO G2 winning juvenile with GRAND KOONTA going down on his shield in third.
This race being over 1,600m will play its part in perhaps turning the Lion City Cup form around and that will bring the likes of TOP KNIGHT and BIG HEARTED into play. The former was runner-up in this race in 2020 and will be suited to conditions and a strong tempo, as will the reigning Singapore Gold Cup winner who has been pleasing connections with some of his comeback performances both on the track and the training track leading up to this showpiece.
Two horses yet to win at the group level are both SACRED CROIX and MINISTER, both of whom had a gallop on the turf this week and Mark Walker opted to gallop SACRED CROIX with other of today’s runners in the shape of MR CLINT, who himself has won twice at the top level.
The vote here will go to ROCKET STAR, runner-up in the local G1 Singapore Guineas to the mighty INFERNO, he is a model of consistency and looks every inch a G1 winner in the making. TOP KNIGHT has always performed at the highest level and he is taken to give the selection most to think about with MINISTER, BIG HEARTED and LIM'S LIGHTNING all coming out high on the list for this excellent renewal of this great race.
SELECTIONS: 10. ROCKET STAR, 2. TOP KNIGHT, 8. MINISTER, 7. BIG HEARTED & 6. LIM'S LIGHTNING
S1-9 Class 3 Handicap
A strong looking class 3 to conclude the day, and it includes a couple of very interesting newcomers to Singapore.
The artist formerly known as FORTRESS COMMAND will likely make his debut here in the final event of the day as he is the second emergency for the Kranji Mile. A four-time winner in Australia up to 1,500m and now named SUN FORTRESS, he has a very decent level of form coming from New South Wales and was placed at G3 level in March 2019 over this trip. The trials have not been anything too flash but he clearly has plenty of ability and is a fascinating runner for Sun Bloodstock Racing Stable.
If not SUN FORTRESS, this can go the way of GOLD STAR who went very close to beating the useful TIGER ROAR last time out when going down by a hare breath in a close finish over course and distance, up a couple of points for that effort, he can run well again.
The Mark Walker-trained SAVVY COMMAND is up in grade but can get involved with P H Seow taking a handy 9lbs off and CIRCUIT MISSION is another to seriously consider in a race of this nature. He only ran a week ago but went well and is on a very nice mark.
TELLER is another newcomer from Argentina, but all his form is over much further trips than this 1,400m.
SELECTIONS: 1. SUN FORTRESS, 4. GOLD STAR, 9. SAVVY COMMAND, 7. CIRCUIT MISSION & 10. TELLER
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