Luke Middlebrook's Bio

Luke has been a devout follower and form student of horse racing in Hong Kong and Singapore for over 10 years, during which time he became renowned as a leading analyst for Asian racing through various social media channels. In June 2016, Luke moved to Singapore to join the iRace Media as Chief Editor for the English edition, where he oversees all form-related and editorial content for horse racing in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Kranji Racecourse – Track Analysis (Singapore Derby Day):

Kranji Racecourse features two distinguished left-hand turns – the Short Course and the Long Course. For the Long Course, the track is at its truest, with all gallopers getting their chance of success given that there is a 500m final sprint to salute the judge.

Nine races will be featured on the Singapore Derby Day card simulcast to Hong Kong, with three races held on the Short Course and six races on the Long Course. Distances vary from 1200m to 1800m.

The three races on the Short Course consist of the Singapore G3 Singapore Golden Horseshoe and the Class 4 Handicap, both over 1200m, and a Class 4 Handicap over 1400m. Competitors in the 1200m events on the Short Course have only about 400m before reaching the turn. This puts those starting from wide positions at a potentially risky disadvantage, as riders may need to reveal their strategies early on after the race begins. The Class 4 Handicap over 1400m on the Short Course offers around 600m before the turn, with that additional 200m being crucial for horses drawn the widest to find early cover.

Moving to the Long Course, for the featured 1800m Singapore G1 Singapore Derby and one of the Class 3 Handicap races, there is a 1000m backstretch run before hitting the turn. Competitors will have adequate ground to either drop towards the rail or find cover, depending on their usual racing pattern. However, to suggest being drawn out wide is a disadvantage may not be a plausible excuse, given the ample ground there is to take up a position in the early stages.

For the Novice and Class 3 Handicap over 1200m on the Long Course, runners have only about 200m before the turn, while it is an additional 200m for those competing in the Class 2 Handicap over 1400m. Riders will have 600m of back straight to sort out their positions in the Class 4 Handicap 1600m event.

Last year's Singapore Derby featured a field of 10 runners. The track conditions were officially rated as good. Singapore’s best horse LIM’S KOSCIUSZKO emerged as the winner, delivering an impressive performance from an on-pace position, closely following the leader throughout and proving too strong in the final stages. Because of the slow tempo, it was a sharp sprint in the straight, with the second and third-place finishers, RELENTLESS and SUPER IMPACT, making up ground impressively late in the piece.

The Singapore Derby takes place in July, coinciding with Singapore's Southwest Monsoon period. During this season, the weather consists of light and frequent showers, often occurring in the early morning, accompanied by a southerly wind. Short-duration showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon are also common. Should heavy rain arrive, a quick downgrade to a yielding track can be expected, and as such, don't be surprised to see riders avoid the inside rails and make use of the better ground out wider.

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