Vet tests matter till the very end

The signs that Kranji is already turning into a ghost town are unmistakable.

With only two meetings to go before the last chapter to a 182-year-long racing history is closed on Oct 5, the noise of bugs and cawing of birds have replaced the sound of hooves at morning trackwork.

Tuesday barrier trials are quiet affairs now, mostly one horse spinning around solo, although Thursdays’ are still rather busy.

If those early weekly jumpouts (Mondays, too) are held, they are what the doctor – or vet – ordered.

Such one-sided affairs may look boring to most, but they certainly give connections reasons to smile. Out of the three tests held this week, the conclusive results will see three of the four gallopers have one last shot at glory.

On Sept 23, Fortune Star was subjected to one such practice after he was found to be lame following his last start on Sept 14. He passed the test with flying colours.

That day, when ridden by Bernardo Pinheiro and carrying loads of confidence, he finished a distant eighth to Frenetic. Yes, on the day, the $14 favourite was a let-down.

However, this is the thing. Fortune Star is better than that and he showed it at his test. With a track rider up, he did everything right and he would have returned to his stall at trainer Kuah Cheng Tee’s yard looking in good order.

Yes, do not be too hasty in giving up on Fortune Star. Aside from that outing on Sept 14, the US-bred by Bullet Train has been running some good races – like when finishing fourth and second in races on Aug 18 and July 13 respectively.

He is certainly still capable of landing a blow in the Class 5 (1,700m) on Sept 28. Incidentally, he will be one of the first five rides of newly-licensed Australian jockey Will Price.

The four other rides of the son of former Bukit Timah stalwart Simon Price are all for trainer Richard Lim, who would have had many jousts with the 1998 Singapore Gold Cup-winning rider (Three Crowns) in the past when he was a jockey.

On the next trial day on Sept 24, it was He’s My Halo’s and Lim’s Dreamwalker’s turns to come under the vets’ watchful eye.

No times were recorded but both got that much-needed green light.

With Pinheiro up, He’s My Halo passed muster, meaning he can take his place in the starting gates for that Novice event over 1,200m coming up in Race 5 on Sept 28.

Keep him on your shortlist. The James Peters-trained gelding, who is out of 2013 Group 3 Paititi Gold Trophy winnerMakkura, has yet to open his account but has already shown potential with two seconds.

He had every chance at his last start when well backed, but could not quicken and ran ninth, less than five lengths off the winner Vgor.

For Lim’s Dreamwalker, the test came about after he beat just one home in a race on Sept 7, and displayed signs of respiratory distress on pulling up.

Well, the Dream Ahead seven-year-old chugged along like a good horse and duly received the all clear, which means he can race again. Trainer Steven Burridge has entered him in the Class 4 race (1,400m) on Oct 5.

The only one who will not race again at Kranji despite receiving a clean bill of health is The Wild Prince.

Reschooling was on the cards after he showed no pace whatsoever and finished down the course at his last start on Sept 14.

The veterinary staff were quickly summoned and as the rider could offer no tangible explanation for that dismal show, they ordered that The Wild Prince be sent for a 1,000m barrier test before being allowed to race again.

So it was, the Rip Van Winkle seven-year-old was at the trials on the morning of Sept 24 and in the good hands of Jerlyn Seow, who has already gone back-to-back in the Singapore champion apprentice jockey title, he was cleared – albeit in a slow 1min 06.75sec.

However, in his case, that was to be his last lap of honour at Kranji. He also needed to pass such a test to be allowed into Malaysia.

Trainer Jason Ong has not entered him at the last two Singapore meetings, but has already booked his trip across the Causeway.

“We still needed him to pass his test to be able to continue his racing career in Malaysia,” said Ong, who just like his apprentice Seow, has also sealed a second consecutive champion title.

“The Wild Prince is an interesting horse. He’s unpredictable, he runs when he wants, but at his last start, he was clearly not in a mood.

“Even the owner laughed when the caller said ‘The Wild Prince doesn’t want to run’. But he’s been good enough to still want to race him up in Malaysia.”

brian@sph.com.sg