Form analysis.....
ORACLE WEST (SAF) - 5yo b g, WESTERN WINTER x NOBLE PROPHET – Rating: 119
TRAINER : Mike de Kock
JOCKEY : Weichong Marwing
OWNER : Ahkin Geemooi
STATISTICS : 25-7-4-3
PRIZE MONEY : $2,169,884 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
Oracle West shot to prominence when he ran a slashing second to Hong Kong’s Vengeance Of Rain in the US$5 million Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2400m) on March 31, a vast improvement from his 11th in the same race 12 months ago. The South African-bred by Western Winter commenced his racing career at home, picking up three wins (1200 to 1600m) from 10 starts. But it was not until Dubai that the penny really dropped for Oracle West. Three wins (2000 to 2400m) on the trot at the 2006 Dubai International Racing Carnival, the traditional prelude to the Dubai World Cup, vindicated de Kock’s decision to race him overseas. Then came his faux-pas in that year’s Sheema Classic, but he more than made up for it one year later when he beat all but Vengeance Of Rain, hitting paydirt with a cool US$1 million prize money. Oracle West flew to Singapore from Hong Kong where he ran sixth in the Group 1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m).
COSMO BULK (JAP) – 6yo b h, ZAGREB x ISENO TOSHO – Rating: 117
TRAINER : Kazunori Tabe
JOCKEY : Fuyuki Igarashi
OWNER : Big Red Farm Co Ltd
STATISTICS : 28-8-6-0
PRIZE MONEY : $7,121,819 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
Last year’s Cup holder is back to defend his title. The six-year-old by Zagreb has not won since his Singapore triumph but ran a creditable fourth behind Japan’s charismatic Deep Impact in the Group 1 Japan Cup (2400m). He also ran fourth to another top Japanese horse in Daiwa Major in the Group 1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m). He made his return this campaign with an unplaced effort in the Group 2 Sankei Osaka Hai, but only 4 ½ lengths behind winner Meisho Samson on April 1. He should improve further with that run under the belt.
DOCTOR DINO (FR) – 5yo ch h, MUHTATHIR x LOGICA – Rating: 114
TRAINER : Richard Gibson
JOCKEY : John Murtagh
OWNER : Javier Martinez Salmean
STATISTICS : 18-5-4-3
PRIZE MONEY : $496,194 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
Doctor Dino came to the fore with three-in-a-row last summer in France, culminating with a win in the Group 3 Prix Andre Baboin (2000m) on a soft track at Bordeaux. His first attempt at Group 1 glory at his last start – which was also his first run this season – was a good pointer of his current form when he flew home to snatch third to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Dylan Thomas in the Group 1 Prix Ganay (2100m) at Longchamp on April 29. The track was good, which indicates Doctor Dino can run over any type of ground.
KANDIDATE (GB) – 5yo b h, KABOOL x VALLEYROSE – Rating: 114
TRAINER : Clive Brittain
JOCKEY : Eddie Ahern
OWNER : A J Richards
STATISTICS : 36-8-1-5
PRIZE MONEY : $1,094,957 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
Veteran trainer Clive Brittain is sending international runner Kandidate for this year’s SIA Cup. A two-time traveller to Dubai, the five-year-old by Kabool has won twice there, once over 1600m in 2006 and this year over 1800m when he trounced the useful Mike de Kock-trained Mullins Bay by 5 ¾ lengths in the Group 3 Haafhd Al Maktoum Challenge RII over dirt. He was hovever less efficient in the world’s richest race the Group 1 Dubai World Cup seven weeks later, when he ran unplaced to US superstar Invasor. Kandidate has quickly bounced back from that below-par performance with a solid third to Red Rocks in the Group 3 Betfred Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown on April 27. Among his other career highlights are a win in the Group 3 September Stakes (2400m) in 2006 and a third to Footstepsinthesand in the 2005 Group 1 2000 Guineas (1600m).
SHADOW GATE (JAP) – 5yo b h, WHITE MUZZLE x FABULOUS TURN – Rating: 109
TRAINER : Yukihiro Kato
JOCKEY : Katsuharu Tanaka
OWNER : Tomokazu Iizuka
STATISTICS : 18-5-4-1
PRIZE MONEY : $1,795,224 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
Bolstered by last year’s glory, Japan will send a second SIA Cup representative this year. Shadow Gate is a Group 3 winner who has run at the highest level in his native country. As a three-year-old he proved his inclination for stamina tests by running in the Grade 1 Japanese St Leger (3000m) and Japanese Derby (2400m), albeit unsuccessful against the mighty Deep Impact on both occasions. The son of former top Japanese galloper White Muzzle has been in rattling form this year winning two races back-to-back, the latest being the Grade 3 Nikkan Sports Sho Nakayama Kimpai (2000m) with race-jockey Katsuharu Tanaka in the irons. He then ran a solid fourth in the Grade 2 Nakayama Kinen (1800m) and took second spot in the Group 2 Sankei Osaka Hai, beaten only a half-length by winner Meisho Samson on April 1. A formline can be drawn in that race with Cosmo Bulk’s eighth, four lengths behind Shadow Gate.
CHAMPIONS GALLERY (GB) – 4yo b c, DANSILI x PURE – Rating: 109
TRAINER : Andreas Schutz
JOCKEY : Martin Dwyer
OWNER : 06/07 Andreas Schutz Trainer Syndicate
STATISTICS : 12-4-0-1
PRIZE MONEY : $626,681 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
The English import raced nine times in UK for three wins (1400, 1600m and 2000m) before being exported to Hong Kong where he was immediately targeted for the top draw races. Trained by German Andreas Schutz, winner of the SIA Cup in 2004 with Epalo, Champions Gallery has had three starts in the former British colony for one win in a handicap (1600m) and a third to Vital King in the Group 1 Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Derby (2000m). Usually partnered by Olivier Doleuze, Champions Gallery will link up with UK jockey Martin Dwyer, who rode Phoenix Reach to second in the SIA Cup 2005. The flamboyant Frenchman opted out preferring to keep his Hong Kong jockey championship hopes alive.
DEZIGNA (NZ) – 7yo b g, VOLKSRAAD x LABEL BASHER – Rating: 108
TRAINER : Wayne & Vanessa Hillis
JOCKEY : Vincent Colgan
OWNER : Mrs Margaret Emma Evans
STATISTICS : 53-7-8-13
PRIZE MONEY : $503,058 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
Dezigna, a seven-time winner, including the NZ$120,000 Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m), will be the oldest horse in the SIA Cup field at seven. A winner of prizemoney equivalent to about S$500,000, Dezigna, who is by Volksraad (also the sire of local SIA Cup contender Crusoe), finished a good second in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on April 14. Dezigna has also campaigned in Brisbane in 2005 where his best effort was a third in the Group 2 Byrne Hart (1400m) His trainer Wayne Hillis describes him as a typical backmarker with no early speed but who always winds up late with a good finish.
KING AND KING (AUS) – 6yo b g, CELESTIAL DANCER x MERRIANG ROAD – Rating: 112
TRAINER : Steven Burridge
JOCKEY : Glen Boss
OWNER : Jumbo Stable
STATISTICS : 34-6-8-4
PRIZE MONEY : $744,559
King And King ran a cracker to miss SIA Cup glory by 1 ¾ lengths last year. Two starts earlier the Celestial Dancer gelding had given trainer Steven Burridge an unforgettable victory in the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m), but has surprisingly not greeted the judge since. He was coming along nicely with two seconds from spell when he dramatically fell in the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) won by Lim’s Classic. He has bounced back since with two second placings and had excuses at his last start when he returned with a lame near-hind. He has made rapid recovery and is all geared up for his bid to go one better.
RUWI (GB) – 5yo b h, UNFUWAIN x MA PALOMA – Rating: 110
TRAINER : Desmond Koh
JOCKEY : Soo Khoon Beng
OWNER : Avenue Of Stars Stable
STATISTICS : 34-6-8-4
PRIZE MONEY : $591,287 (Overseas earnings in Singapore Dollars)
The English-bred Ruwi by Group winner Unfuwain (five wins over 2400m) has run only once in Singapore since his arrival in January when he was stepping out over a distance (1600m) not made to suit him, Ruwi ran last to Lim’s Passion. All his 14 other starts in France were in races ranging from 1800m to 2200m, of which he won five (four in a row as a three-year-old) – thrice over 2000m, once over 1800m and once over 2200m. He won the Group 2 Prix Noailles (2000m race for 3yo) over a heavy Longchamp track.
BIG EASY (NZ) - 5yo ch g, BIG EASY x NICOLE NINER – Rating: 107
TRAINER : Laurie Laxon
JOCKEY : Darren Beadman
OWNER : Perfectum Stable
STATISTICS : 36-9-4-4
PRIZE MONEY : $1,109,693
Former Singapore Horse of the Year Big Easy (2005) may have seen his better days but still packs some brilliance every now and then. The Perfectum Stable-owned galloper has not won since he took out the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) in October 2005, but has often answered the call in domestic Group races, albeit not with the desired results. He however regained some of his old dash when he ran second to Our Falstaff in last year’s Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) and ran another blinder to finish third to Mr Line in last year’s Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2200m). His fitness level this campaign cannot be faulted, hence the last-minute call-up to replace Ace Armada in the SIA Cup.
|