With less than three weeks to the Singapore Turf Club`s big International
raceday on 18 May 2008, the fields for the Group 1 $3million Singapore Airlines
International Cup over 2000 metres and the $1million KrisFlyer International
Sprint over 1200 metres are beginning to take their final shape.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL CUP
Japanese galloper � and 2006 winner � COSMO BULK heads a strong list of
International invitees for this year`s running of Singapore`s richest race.
While last year`s winner SHADOW GATE is unfortunately not able to come and
defend his title, COSMO BULK will be on his third trip to Singapore, having
finished second in last year`s edition and will be hoping to make it a
hat-trick of victories for Japan.
Europe, who has won the event twice with ENDLESS HALL (2001) and EPALO (2004)
will be pinning its hopes on three gallopers � the French pair of MUSICAL WAY
(Group 2 Prix Dollar) and multiple Listed winner BALIUS and TRAFFIC GUARD from
the Jane Chapple-Hyam yard.
The French gallopers represented their country with distinction last Sunday
in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup over 2000 metres in Hong Kong,
producing eye-catching efforts with BALIUS finishing second and MUSICAL WAY a
luckless seventh to ARCHIPENKO. TRAFFIC GUARD was a recent second in the Group 3
Sefton Stakes over 1800 metres at Newmarket on 18 April.
Hong Kong holds a strong hand with Group 1 Classic Mile winner FLORAL
PEGASUS, who run sixth behind GOOD BA BA in the Champion`s Mile on the weekend
while South African mentor Herman Brown looks set to continue his emergence on
the global stage with recent US$5 million Dubai Duty Free winner JAY PEG and new
recruit MOURILYAN, who ran eighth in the US$5 million Group 1 Dubai Sheema
Classic (2400m) when under the care of Irish trainer John Oxx.
SIR SLICK and SPIN AROUND are two well-credentialled gallopers from New
Zealand. SIR SLICK is a five-time Group 1 winner, most recent being the New
Zealand Stakes on 8 March while SPIN AROUND has won the Group 1 Avondale Gold
Cup (2200m) after a successful stint in Hong Kong.
Singapore entries for the SIA will be announced after the weekend where some
of the top Singapore gallopers will be competing in a 1600 metre event on
Friday.
KRISFLYER INTERNATIONAL SPRINT
The $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint is making a welcome return to
the international racing calendar after a six-year hiatus.
Taking pride of place for the KrisFlyer is none other than Australia`s
fairytale horse and international globetrotter TAKEOVER TARGET (Group 1
Lightning Stakes, Group 2 King`s Stand). From the day former taxi driver Joe
Janiak parted with A$1250 for the castoff by Celtic Swing, it`s been a
whirlwind of feature wins Down Under all the way to Royal Ascot and Japan.
Australia will have a two-pronged back-up. MAGNUS will make his final
racetrack appearance before going to stud. The entire is a Group 1 winner of the
Galaxy in Sydney and has two Group 1 seconds behind WEEKEND HUSSLER, currently
ranked the best three-year-old in the world.
UNIVERSAL RULER is the third Australian representative from the other side of
the island continent. The three-year-old Perth galloper has to date won five of
his six starts with a career high coming at his last start in the Listed Easter
Stakes.
Hong Kong`s crack sprinter ABSOLUTE CHAMPION (2006 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong
Sprint) is also likely to book his ticket for the 1200m speed dash. He could be
joined by SANZIRO, who will be lining-up against SACRED KINGDOM in the Group 2
Gome Sprint on 1 May at Sha Tin.
England`s hopefuls are LOVELACE, a winner of the Group 3 Supreme Stakes and
JUDD STREET (Listed Rous Stakes) whose connections will make a final decision
after the sprinter contests the Group 3 Palace House Stakes over 1000 metres at
Newmarket on 4 May.
The United Arab Emirates will try and snag the KrisFlyer with two of their
speediest customers, SALAAM DUBAI and STAR CROWNED.
STAR CROWNED ran a cracking third to BENNY THE BULL in the US$2 million Dubai
Golden Shaheen (1200m) on dirt, with his jockey Mick Kinane even protesting
against second for interference, but without success.
Singapore hopefuls for the KrisFlyer will be announced after the weekend`s
racing where a number are down to run over 1200 metres on Sunday.
INTERNATIONAL INVITEES for:-
SINGAPORE AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL CUP
Horse Trainer Country Rating
Jay Peg Herman Brown South Africa 120
Balius Carlos Laffon-Parias France 116
Floral Pegasus Tony Cruz Hong Kong 115
Cosmo Bulk Kazunori Tabe Japan 114
Mourilyan Herman Brown South Africa 114
Sir Slick Graeme Richardson New Zealand 113
Musical Way Philippe Van de Poele France 110
Traffic Guard Jane Chapple-Hyam Great Britain 110
Spin Around Steven Cooper New Zealand 108
KRISFLYER INTERNATIONAL SPRINT
Horse Trainer Country Rating
Absolute Champion David Hall Hong Kong 120
Takeover Target Joe Janiak Australia 118
Magnus Peter Moody Australia 115
Salaam Dubai Aditiyan Selvaratnam UAE 110
Star Crowned Rasheed Bouresly UAE 110
Lovelace Mark Johnston Great Britain 109
Judd Street Eve Johnson Houghton Great Britain 107
Universal Ruler Darren McAuliffe Australia 105
Sanziro Caspar Fownes Hong Kong 103
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