Baffert sparkles in hit-out
4YO should join stablemate Zac Kasa in winning for trainer Cliff Brown on Sunday
On Tuesday morning, trainer Cliff Brown's speed merchant Zac Kasa provided an impressive hit-out, strongly indicating his winning intentions at Kranji on Sunday.
Yesterday, it was stablemate Baffert's turn to sparkle and add to Brown's winning prospects for the afternoon.
Baffert is engaged in Race 5, the Class 3 event over the Polytrack 1,200m, while Zac Kasa is running in Race 9, the Class 4 Premier event, also over the Poly 1,200m.
The duo will be ridden by jockey Michael Rodd, who worked both horses.
With stablemate Roughead as the work companion yesterday morning, Baffert was travelling better and disposed of the 600m on the right-handed Track 6 in 38.2sec. Roughead clocked 38.6.
Baffert pulled up full of running, suggesting that he wanted more, which was a good sign.
Before yesterday's good gallop, Baffert also showed up nicely in his trial last week. He finished second to last year's Group 1 Lion City Cup winner Lim's Cruiser, who is back from a spell.
Baffert has proven himself to be a smart sprinter.
Last time out on March 11, the four-year-old Australian-bred beat all but top-rated three-year-old Augustano in a Polytrack 1,100m event.
The brown gelding was closing in nicely at the finish but the bird had flown. He went down by only three parts of a length.
Two runs earlier on Jan 12, Baffert scored convincingly, again racing over the Poly 1,100m. Midfield for most of the way, he made up ground in the straight and then raced away to win by two-and-a-quarter lengths from Preferred, who scored emphatically last Friday.
With good raceform on his side, as well as his smart trial and gallop, Baffert should get the verdict in Race 5 on Sunday.
Zac Kasa should round up a good afternoon for Brown in the final event.
Good Catch also worked diligently yesterday morning with jockey Nooresh Juglall astride.
The Ricardo Le Grange-trained three-year-old started slowly and gradually picked up speed from the top of the straight, clocking 40.5.sec. He ran on with gusto until the backstraight.
Good Catch finished second in all his three starts and needs only a dose of luck to break through.
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