Mahadi keeps faith in top seed

Mahadi Taib could not have been happier with a haul of 25 winners in his first 16 months as a trainer.

The 51-year-old Singaporean is not too hard to please, but he was still entitled to wishing that the 18 seconds from his other 300-plus starters had given him the joy of a few more visits to the winner’s circle.

But all in all, considering Michael Clements’ former assistant trainer does not boast any big names in his yard of 42 horses, it has been a good journey so far.

If there was any blemish, the closure of Singapore racing one year from now was the obvious downer – even if everybody across the board has been hit hard, not just him.

There is that one fly in the ointment that has been bugging him, though.

In five starts under his care, his highest-rated horse Surpass Natural (95 points) has still not scored.

He hopes 12 months will be sufficient in making the eight-year-old seven-time winner (six of them when under ex-Kranji trainer Leticia Dragon) turn back the clock – and add at least one more win before the curtains come down.

For any remote chance of that to happen, Mahadi is keeping his fingers crossed the injury-prone son of Caulfield Cup winner Elvstroem also stays sound.

On Saturday, he makes his comeback in the $85,000 Class 2 race (1,200m) on his pet Polytrack surface, after yet another setback.

Since his transfer in 2022, Surpass Natural had actually been putting it together with a couple of seconds. He even contested a feature race, the Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1,200m) in February, though well beaten by Lim’s Kosciuszko.

But it was back to the drawing board shortly after his last-start closing fifth to Red Ocean despite a chequered passage in a Class 2 race (1,100m) on March 12.

“Surpass Natural had another issue after his last race. He fractured his fetlock on his other leg, the left leg,” said Mahadi.

“When he came to me from CT (Cheng Tee) Kuah, he was off for one year because of a stress fracture to his right leg.

“It was frustrating for me and the owners. I had to give him a three-month rest, and then had to work him up slowly to get him back to fitness.”

Unlike the first prep when Surpass Natural won five of his seven barrier trials, he did not quite light up the mornings this time around.

Mahadi did not conceal his disappointment, but neither did he jump to any hasty conclusions.

“I gave him a first quiet trial, but I thought he would improve at his second trial when TR (Thavarajan Barnabas) rode him,” he said.

“But he didn’t run up to my expectations. Even at his third and last trial, he didn’t show me much.

“I didn’t want to pressure him in his trials because of his leg, but I was still hoping for better.

“He’s sound, but it probably is a fitness issue. He’s a bit round now.

“He’ll need two or three runs, and hopefully, he’ll show something by then.”

Apprentice jockey Jerlyn Seow’s claim shaves 3kg off his topweight of 58kg.

With much more screwed-down handy sorts like Major King, General Command and Illustrious in the mix, Saturday’s comeback is likely to be more about blowing the cobwebs away.

Mahadi’s rank and file does not have much depth either, except maybe for last-start winner Red Dragon.

Newcomers are an unknown quantity that sometimes bring an element of surprise, but Mahadi is not holding his breath over Sheng Vespa and Feel The Fire.

“Both have not shown me much in their work or trials,” he said.

“I think they need more distance. A 1,400m race first-up is okay for Feel The Fire.

“The owner told me he had one win (as Like A Lark) in Australia, but I didn’t know it was on Polytrack.

“I’m actually surprised as he doesn’t seem to work well on it. It’s an option to look at for sure.”

On the other hand, Bureaucrat gave signs of ability with a debut fourth under his belt.

The War Decree four-year-old is second-up in the $20,000 Open Maiden over 1,000m, which his handler fears might be too sharp, though.

“The 1,000m will be a bit short for Bureaucrat. I think he needs 1,200m up to 1,400m,” he said.

manyan@sph.com.sg