SIN G1 – 2200m – Turf
Horse Racing
Season
Singapore Gold Cup – Form Comments
| 1 | Infantry | Captured four Group races, including a Group 1 in his last two starts over 2000m and 1600m, and he is the fore-runner for the Horse of the Year award. He will be giving weight all round. Won the G1 Singapore Derby in July and the G1 Kranji Mile on 1 Oct, which was the first leg of the Singapore Triple Crown Series. Races handy. |
| 2 | Gilt Complex | Caused a big upset last start on 22 Oct in the G1 Raffles Cup over 1800m. Unlucky to fail to secure a berth in last year’s Gold Cup when a narrow third to Bahana in the qualifying race, the G3 El Dorado Classic over the 2200m. Bahana went on to win the Gold Cup and Gilt Complex won a race over the same 2200m trip with a faster time on the same day. Using this as a yardstick, he should be a top chance but he has picked up 12 points from his Raffles Cup victory and will now give weight to all except Infantry. He can race on the pace or from behind. |
| 3 | Elite Excalibur | Seven starts in Singapore for two wins, both over 1400m. Competed five times as a Singapore runner in Dubai for a second over 1600m. Showed he was capable with two Group 1 seconds in Singapore, including his last-start fast second in the Raffles Cup over 1800m. |
| 4 | Majestic Moments | Has not won since April last year but has been placed in several Group races. Second in Patron’s Bowl over 1600m and Singapore Derby over 2000m last year, both Group 1 events. Spelled after disappointing run in last year’s Singapore Gold Cup. Has had four runs since resuming on 30 July. Ran fourth in the G1 Kranji Mile and was a 5.2L eighth in G1 Raffles Cup over 1800m last start. Races in handy spot. |
| 5 | Perfect P | Ran in several black-type races and captured the G3 New Year Cup over the Polytrack 1900m last year, sitting on the pace before streaking ahead at the top of the straight. He did not win again until two starts back on 27 Aug over 2000m. Last time out on 22 Oct, he tracked the speed and took the lead on straightening in the G3 El Dorado Classic over 2200m but faded to finish a 2.9L sixth. |
| 6 | Laughing Gravy | Led practically all the way in 2016 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup over 2000m and has not won again. Didn’t make any impact in the Singapore Gold Cup last year when ridden from worse than midfield. He showed a return to form on 4 June when he led in his QE II Cup defence (distance shortened from 2000m to 1800m) and just failed to stave off Quechua. He was spelled after that run and, since his return on 17 Sep, he has disappointed in all three starts. |
| 7 | Forever Young | Noted front-runner who sprang a big surprise in the final leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, the G1 Singapore Guineas over 1600m. He proved that his win was no fluke with another gutsy all-the-way victory in the G2 Chairman’s Trophy over 1800m on 6 Aug. He led in the G1 Kranji Mile but petered out to finish a 6.9L eighth behind Infantry. Last start in the G1 Raffles Cup over 1800m, he led and finished a 4.2L seventh behind Gilt Complex. He will lead again but is unlikely to see out the trip. |
| 8 | Blue Swede | His most eye-catching run was his near-last to third on the far outside in the Singapore Gold Cup last year. His last win was five starts back on 9 July when he beat Perfect P over 1600m. He has put his hand up again for this year’s premier classic with a fast-finishing 0.7L third in the G3 El Dorado Classic over 2200m. He will carry slightly more weight than last year but with his good lead-up, he should have a strong say. |
| 9 | Bahana | All-the-way winner of the Gold Cup last year with visiting Australian jockey Craig Williams astride. However, that triumph has been his last and he has gone through three spells. He was rested after the Gold Cup victory and had two runs for a first-up fourth before being rested again. He also has had two starts since his return, beating only one home first-up and was 10th last start in the G1 Raffles Cup (1800m). |
| 10 | Emperor’s Banquet | Seven wins from 1400m to 2000m. Won once on a yielding track. Regular player in the black-type races but won only the G3 Fortune Bowl over 2000m in February 2015. That was his last success. He ran in the Singapore Gold Cup that year and finished a 3.9L sixth to Cooptado. He has had two spells. Since his return from his latest spell on 30 July, he has run four poor races, including his last-start 13th of 16 in the G3 El Dorado Classic over 2200m. He can race forward. |
| 11 | Jupiter Gold | Six wins from 1000m to 1600m. Has won on a yielding track. Was third in the G2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) and second in the G1 Singapore Guineas over 1600m. His form somewhat tapered off after finishing last in the G1 QE II Cup over 1800m on 4 June. He was spelled after that and his two runs since his return have been ordinary. This powerful finisher needs to improve in leaps and bounds. |
| 12 | Order Of The Sun | Had five victories in Australia from 1200m to 2800m. Finished second in the 2015 G3 El Dorado Classic over 2200m. Led in the 2015 Gold Cup and quickly faded to finish 12th of 16. Bounced back next start to lead and then had to share the prize in the G3 Colonial Chief Stakes over the Poly 1700m. His first two runs after a spell this year were not bad but his latest run was disappointing, leading for just a while before finishing a 12.3L 14th of 16 in the G3 El Dorado Classic (2200m). Will likely press ahead again. |
| 13 | Newlands | Ran a 1.9L fourth to stablemate Bahana in last year’s Singapore Gold Cup. Was handily placed all the way. His last success was five starts back over 1800m on 14 May. He was rested after his 3.9L sixth in the G1 QE II Cup over 1800m and his three runs back from the spell were just fine. He tends to race in the midfield pack. |
| 14 | Song To The Moon | Unplaced in all five Group attempts. Was developing nicely into a good classic prospect until his winning streak stopped in February. After gaining a second in April, he did not make the board at his last seven starts. Last time out in the G3 El Dorado Classic over 2200m on 22 Oct, he passed a few to finish seventh. He needs loads of improvement. |
| 15 | Mighty Kenny | 40 starts for eight wins, three over 1400m, four over the Poly 1600m and his latest over 1800m. This will be his first attempt in a Group race and it certainly is a big ask for a lowly-rated horse. The field and the trip look out of his depth. He can lead or sit handily. |
| 16 | Secret Win | Last start in the G3 El Dorado Classic, with an automatic slot in this race on the line, he trailed a distant last from the start. But in the final 200m, he just let fly and got up to grab victory. He will now try to emulate a few previous Gold Cup winners, including last year’s winner Bahana, to qualify in this manner and strike gold with the minimum weight. |
| Reserves | ||
| 17 | Sandtop | Two unplaced starts so far after arriving from Macau, where he had 28 starts for seven wins from 1500m to 1950m, including two at Group 2 level. After his 10th placing in his Singapore debut over 1400m, he tackled the G3 El Dorado Classic over 2200m and it was not surprising that he beat only one home. |
| 18 | Chairman | 13 starts for two wins over 2000m. Has been running consistently well in Singapore and broke through at his eighth start. Drawn the widest stall (16) in the G3 El Dorado Classic, he was caught in the last few strides by Secret Win. Thus, he was handicapped as the reserve. If he gets in, he has a great chance with only a light weight. |
| 19 | Magstock | 21 starts for four wins from 1400m to 1800m. Unplaced in all five Group attempts. His staying ability was demonstrated with his second to Gilt Complex in a 2200m race on Gold Cup Day last year. His last success was on 12 March over 1600m. Last time out in the G3 El Dorado Classic on 22 Oct, he came from near-last to finish a 2.7L fifth. |
| 20 | Darshini | In his Singapore career, he was third-time lucky, zooming from midfield to win going away. His latest run in the G3 El Dorado Classic was quite pleasing. After sitting in midfield, he finished well for a 2.2L fourth to Secret Win. He is another good lightweight hope if he gets in. |
Others
10/11/2017
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10/11/2017
