Ararat Lady whips the boys

It is not often that we see a horse go under 59 seconds at the trials. 

It is understandable, given the big weights that they usually carry.

A minute or so for the 1,000m is the norm. Anything in the 59-second region gets a thumbs up.

To go under 59 seconds is therefore considered outstanding.

Well, Ararat Lady was truly outstanding when clocking 58.80sec for her jaunt on Tuesday morning.

And to think, she did it while being eased up over the final 100m.

Up in the saddle in Trial 3, jockey Wong Chin Chuen must have realised he was on a flier.

He had asked the lady to take the lead from the get-go and that is what she did.

With Boomba, the mount of Oscar Chavez, and Louis-Philippe Beuzelin on Sing Our Song pestering her for most of the journey down to the 600m marker, Ararat Lady seemed to relish the attention.

Indeed, she welcomed the challenge but soon got tired of having the boys just behind her.

That was at the furlong mark. Taking the bit and giving a snort, she drew clear and, quite truly, put the boys in their places.

Up in the saddle, Wong knew it was “job done” and he allowed Ararat Lady to cruise home on her own steam.

Still, at the finish line, she put more than five lengths on second-placed Boomba who, in turn, beat the fast-finishing Quadcopter (Marc Lerner) by half a length.

That was a clear case of stamping her authority.

So, you may argue, the trial was on the Polytrack which is a surface Ararat Lady loves. But still, one had to respect her doggedness.

Trained by Tim Fitzsimmons for the AJ’s Stable, she truly loves the Polytrack. 

How do we know that? Well, four of her five wins have been on the alternate surface.

Indeed, she is a last-start winner. But that was way back in July, when she charged home from her spot in the box-seat at the home turn to put Al Green to the sword in a 1,100m sprint on the Poly – where else?

Al Green, as we very well know, went on to beat a strong Class 4 field on the opening day of the 2022 season.

As for Ararat Lady, she has yet to see action this season. When Fitzsimmons eventually sends her out in those flashy silks with the letters AJ emblazoned on the front, do give her plenty of consideration.

On that win at the trials, she does look ripe and ready for a sixth winning show.

Although not in Ararat Lady’s league as far as winning times are concerned, Bright Sun was another who knocked home one for the ladies.

Ridden by Jerlyn Seow Poh Hui – the only “lady” jockey at Kranji – Bright Sun won that three-horse shoot-out in the second trial of the morning.

A “trier” who has yet to put a win on the board after 27 outings, Bright Sun had to work hard for the victory.

Although leading from the jump-out, she had to contend with Modern Express who bothered her all the way like an irritating fly.

She never did get rid of him but she still took the trial by a head.

Her 1,000m time was a slow 62.18sec. Then again, both women were not out to break any land speed records.

However, her trainer Jason Lim and her connections will draw comfort from the fact that Bright Sun had finished second in two of her last four starts.

Indeed, she has a date with the starter on Saturday. Sure, it is a lowly Class 5 Division 2 sprint over the 1,100m. But, if it brings in a first win, her connections will gladly take it.

Tuesday’s Kranji barrier trial results:

TRIAL 1
1 Super Talent (O Chavez)
2 Awesome Conqueror (I Saifudin)
3 Fireworks (M Nunes)
4 Missile Rain (N Zyrul)
Margins and time: 2, ns, 43/4, 
(1min 00.87 sec)

TRIAL 2
1 Bright Sun (PH Seow)
2 Modern Express 
3 Sure Will Do (CC Wong)
Margins and time: Hd, 1 (1:02.18)

TRIAL 3
1 Ararat Lady (Wong)
2 Boomba (Chavez)
3 Quadcopter (M Lerner)
4 King Louis (T Krisna)
5 Darc Bounty (R Shafiq)
6 Sing Our Song (L Beuzelin)
Margins and time: 51/4, 1/2, nk, 41/4, 
1 1/4 (58.80 sec)

TRIAL 4
1 Kwazii (Shafiq)
2 Big Tiger (M Akmazani)
3 Classic Thirtysix (Wong)
4 Lim’s Dreamwalker (M Kellady)
5 Sun Conqueror (M Zaki)
6 Hugo (Lerner)
Margins and time: Hd, 1/2, ns, 3, 51/4 (1:02.09)