Ghalib passes test with flying colours

On a Jan 4 morning when rain pelted the island, Kranji in the far north of Singapore was not spared.

It, too, took the brunt of the wet weather and it played into the action that was supposed to have taken place – like the five trials that were to be run, beginning at 9.30am.

Well, being the brave men that jockeys are, they took to the track, defied the conditions and managed to put two trials to bed.

Then, common sense prevailed.

After the second trial was run, they unanimously agreed that the slippery and sloppy conditions made it too dangerous for both themselves and the horses.

They made their feelings known and the rest of the morning’s three trials were rescheduled to Jan 5.

While some would have been disappointed, the decision to postpone was the right thing to do.

Still, until the curtain came down on the remaining three trials, those at trackside and the rest who were taking in the action on “live” television were treated to some good galloping.

Take that first trial of the morning. All eyes were on Ghalib who, at the races on Dec 9, was a “good thing beaten”.

That day, racegoers packed him off as the $30 second pick in a Class 3 sprint.

Alas, Ghalib left his backers feeling lighter in the pocket.

Indeed, he never gave them any reason to cheer.

Ghalib, a known larrikin in the gates, was again up to his tricks and, that time, he broke through the front of the chute.

Although his jockey, Matthew Kellady, quickly reined him in, he continued with his tantrums and proved a handful during the 1,200m race.

Ghalib eventually finished sixth in that sprint won by Knippenberg.

The racing stewards took note of his wayward behaviour and off to the trials he went.

Well, what do you know? Ghalib was like an obedient son on Jan 4. With Manoel Nunes entrusted with the reins, he went into his stall without any trouble.

And, when the starter sent the field off, Ghalib was right in the leading bunch.

Italian Revolution, ridden by Vlad Duric, took a slim lead. Following him was Qaraat (Zyrul Nor Azman). Ghalib slotted in perfectly – the meat in the sandwich.

Six hundred metres out and there were four horses in a line. Smart One, ridden by Clyde Leck, had joined in the fray and the quartet straightened as one.

But it was soon just two in contention. A furlong out and it was a fight between Ghalib and Italian Revolution. Nunes versus Duric. Steven Burridge versus Tim Fitzsimmons.

Well, this time Ghalib played it right and he went on to take the trial by half a length. Given the underfoot conditions, his time of 1min 00.54sec was pretty smart.

Yes, Ghalib is set to have a good 2024 season. He did really well in 2023, winning three races from just seven starts.

Had he not been beaten by Akhtar in a 1,200m sprint on Nov 11, it could have been four.

And, of course, things might have been different had he not “played up” at that last outing. Well, that is all water under the bridge.

On a wet, drab and dreary morning, Ghalib showed us that he is still a force to be reckoned with. So, keep him on your shortlist.

The same goes for the trial runner-up, Italian Revolution.

He, too, had a stellar 2023 when he put together three wins from 11 starts.

Trained by Fitzsimmons, who took over the horse from the “retired” Shane Baertschiger, he looked to be in rattling form at the trials.

Like he did when opening his account on Jan 28, 2023, he could pull off another win sooner rather than later.

It is said that grey horses love the wet. It is just another tale from the turf but, if you saw what Illustrious did to his rivals in the second trial on Jan 4, you might want to believe it.

Taken out by Duric and sent off in pelting rain, Illustrious slotted in second behind Pacific Hero.

There he stayed – but not for long. With a furlong to travel and still in driving rain, Duric clicked him into overdrive and Illustrious sloshed home to take the trial by three parts of a length.

Even in those awful conditions, the four-year-old managed to clock a smart 1:00.12.

Illustrious was a smart winner on Nov 25. That day, he ran away with a brilliant turn of speed to take the chocolates by almost 1½ lengths. That was over the 1,000m on the Polytrack.

His five other wins were also on the synthetic track.

And, from what we saw of him at the trials, we also now know that he is near the top of his game.

So watch him when he opens his 2024 season. He is, well, as “illustrious” as they come.

brian@sph.com.sg