Born To Win can repeat

It has taken quite some time and a drop to Class 5 for Born To Win to score again.

But, now that the Tim Fitzsimmons-trained six-year-old New Zealand-bred has come right again, it should pay to follow him in tomorrow’s $50,000 Class

4 event over the 1,800m on the long course (Race 5/2pm).

He will be a value top bet, running against some nice horses.

For one, the bay gelding has improved tremendously, judging by his trial and gallops.

His chances will also be enhanced by the bottom weight. He is handicapped with only 50kg. Jockey Ronnie Stewart is a natural lightweight, so he will probably not be riding overweight. He rode Gold Star at 50kg last week.

The postage-stamp weight is surely Born To Win’s best advantage to give his rivals a run for the money.

In his last start on Feb 26, he shouldered 56.5kg to a resounding victory over 1,600m in Class 5. 

After sitting in midfield and having a dream run on the rails, jockey Manoel Nunes encountered heavy traffic from the 450m to 350m marks.

But, once he extricated himself to get clear running, his mount went into overdrive to beat stablemate Don De La Vega by 3/4 lengths in a decent 1:37.24.

He gets a hefty 61/2kg drop for the promotion to Class 4 but the weight relief more than makes up for the class rise.

Bear in mind that Born To Win has scored in Class 4, with an even higher rating (51 to tomorrow’s 49).

That was on Sept 5, 2020. He beat You Qian Zhuan by nearly two lengths over 1,400m. He carried 51.5kg.

You Qian Zhuan franked the form last start on March 13 under his new name, Metal World. Paying $282 for a win, he was new trainer Richard Lim’s first winner.

I saw Born To Win gallop last week. He was full of zest and he pulled up on his toes.

Then last week, he impressed in his trial. 

He closed in nicely to finish second behind Silent Partner, who is one of his rivals tomorrow.

If Stewart had wanted, Born To Win could probably have won the trial. Clearly, he was saving it up for the race.

The step-up from 1,600m to 1,800m should not bother Born To Win. If relaxed early, he should wind up nicely at the business-end of the race.

The Jerome Tan-trained Amazing Breeze will definitely enjoy the 1,800m trip. He is the main danger.

Amazing Breeze stormed home by seven lengths over 1,600m in 1:35.57 with 51kg in the Kranji Stakes B race on Nov 27, the final day of last season. 

The way he finished was spell-binding. This horse has a turbo engine. 

He was expected to score again in his subsequent three starts – twice over 1,400m and once over the Poly 1,600m – but he rattled home late for fifths.

So the additional 200m will suit him but he will be giving Born To Win 8kg. That is his setback.

Yesterday’s Kranji barrier trial results:

TRIAL 1
1 Griffin H (TH Koh) 
2 High Voltage 
3 Kinabalu Star (O Chavez)
4 Idlewild (T Rehaizat)
5 Super Extreme (M Zaki)
Margins and time: 
11/4, nk, shd, nk
(1min 00.86 sec)

TRIAL 2
1 Legend Of The Sun H
(CC Wong) 
2 Entertainer (K A’Isisuhairi)
3 Spirit Of Big Bang 
4 Resolution (L Beuzelin)
5 War Room (Chavez)
6 Lim’s Lightning (D Beasley)
Margins and time: 
23/4, 31/4, 3/4, 13/4, 51/2
(59.03 sec)

TRIAL 3
1 Crystal Dragon H
2 Kassab H
3 Tony’s Love (A’Isisuhairi)
4 Knight Love (M Nunes)
5 The Bullet (Chavez)
6 Mesmerizing (PH Seow)
7 Holy Eleanor (Wong)
8 Lim’s Straight (Beasley)
Margins and time: 
Hd, 1/2, nk, 11/4, 33/4, nk, hd (59.97 sec)

TRIAL 4
1 Circuit Star (Chavez)
2 Gold Kingdom (M Lerner)
3 Sirius (R Shafiq)
4 Heng Xing 
5 Hex Mark (Koh)
6 Lim’s Hopefully (Beasley)
7 Ferocious 
8 Minhaaj (Rehaizat)
Margins and time: 
1/2, 2, hd, ns, 3, 21/2, 33/4 (1:01.16)

TRIAL 5
1 Global Spirit (R Stewart)
2 Cizen Lucky
3 Fate To Win (Lerner)
4 Romance Love All (Lim)
5 Missile Rain (Chavez)
6 Rich Fortune (Seow) 
7 Generation M (I Amirul)
Margins and time: 
23/4, 3/4, 11/2, 3/4, hd, 201/4 (1:01.00)