Gray duo are not in for a cosy ride
Silent Is Gold, Kharisma to beat many odds: Weights, barriers – and Lim’s Kosciuszko
Stephen Gray cannot fault his duo ahead of the $100,000 Kranji Stakes A race (1,200m) on March 23, but would be surprised if either Silent Is Gold or Kharisma wins.
Lim’s Kosciuszko remains the horse to beat, even if he will be at his first race back since his Hong Kong defeat in December.
But it is more the weights sufferance his duo will come under vis-a-vis the Lim’s Stable champion that Gray was lamenting about.
Lim’s Kosciuszko’s top impost of 59.5kg is hefty on face value. But, in relative terms, given his status as the highest-rated horse in Singapore on 117 points, he is well in on weights against all his 11 rivals.
For example, Silent Is Gold on 94 points ought to be in receipt of 11.5kg (48kg), and another 5kg (43kg) for Kharisma (84 points).
But, the Kranji Stakes A terms see their weights compressed to 55 and 52kg respectively.
With the rule of thumb of 3kg to two lengths, Silent Is Gold has to make up 4½ lengths and Kharisma six lengths on Lim’s Kosciuszko.
On March 18, when the weights were published, Gray could still tell himself not all races are won on mathematical formulae.
But, when the racecard came out two days later, that slim hope was all but snuffed out. The barriers were no kinder – double digits.
“Both horses are badly weighted at the handicap,” said Gray. “To make matters worse, both have drawn bad gates. It’ll be even tougher.”
Gray felt it was precisely weights and measures that blighted Silent Is Gold’s chances in the Group 3 Fortune Bowl (1,400m) at his last start on Feb 11.
The Star Turn five-year-old sat on race-leader Fame Star’s girth but compounded when popped the question in the straight.
“The 1,400m and weight-for-age conditions didn’t suit. He also got pushed around a little bit,” he said.
“He was okay. He’s back over 1,200m, but the bad draw (15) doesn’t help, and it’s Poly. So, he has a lot of things against him even if he’s actually in really good shape, as we saw in his two nice trials.
“It would’ve been a straightforward handicap race if the Class 2 race on turf was not changed to a Kranji Stakes A on Poly.”
The Buddy Buddy Stable-owned galloper has recorded all his seven wins on turf, while his stablemate may relish the alternative surface better.
Kharisma is a lot more versatile with five of his 11 wins coming on Polytrack, but the Mossman seven-year-old has seen better days.
After a meritorious fourth to Pacific Emperor in the Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1,200m) on Polytrack on Oct 28, he ran below par at his next three runs, all on turf.
Also lined up in the Fortune Bowl, he beat one home.
“It’s the same for Kharisma. He’s in good order, but he’s also drawn wide (12) and is also badly off at the weights,” said Gray.
“With 54kg, he can’t win, but maybe he can run a place.”
French jockey Ryan Curatolo will ride the 2023 Group 3 Rocket Man Sprint (1,200m) winner while Silent Is Gold will have five-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes aboard for the first time.
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