Brace for Super Impact
Terrific Singapore Derby third place-getter is hard to beat in Class 3 with vast improvement
It may look a strong Class 3 event on Saturday, but Super Impact has what it takes to notch his first Kranji success.
His biggest asset in the $70,000 event over 1,600m is his fantastic third in the Group 1 Singapore Derby over 1,800m on July 17.
It proves that the New Zealand-bred is top-class material.
The two horses that beat him in the Derby –Lim’s Kosciuszko and Relentless – are champions in their own right.
The Daniel Meagher-trained Lim’s Kosciuszko, who was unbeaten in his first eight starts, went on to capture the Group 1 Lion City Cup over 1,200m on Aug 14.
Before finishing second in the Derby, the Tim Fitzsimmons-trained Relentless landed the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup over 1,600m on June 26.
He beat Lim’s Kosciuszko on that occasion.
So, on the Derby form, Super Impact is a top horse in the making. After all, he was closing in fast on the winner and runner-up.
That run was only his third at Kranji, but trainer Donna Logan wisely gave her charge a well-deserved break.
It has done the five-year-old a world of good. Just look at the way the bay gelding trialled on Sept 13.
Forget about his not-so-fast winning time (62.28 seconds for the Polytrack 1,000m). He was just toying with his rivals.
He could have easily won by a bigger margin than 3/4 lengths from back-to-back winner Trident and a faster time, if jockey Jake Bayliss wanted to.
From the start, the Australian jockey rode on long reins, so much so that Super Impact’s head was down close to his chest.
But, once he saw daylight on straightening, Super Impact lifted his head and lengthened his strides beautifully.
Still, Bayliss did not do a thing. He just sat with a firm lock of the reins on the horse’s withers. His mount did the rest. It was a fantastic piece of work.
Super Impact and Bayliss combined again in his final gallop on Tuesday morning. Again, the pair shone.
The stage is set for them to take Saturday’s Race 6 (2.30pm).
Before arriving in Singapore, Super Impact showed consistent form in New Zealand, where he raced as Solid Impact.
He had six starts for three wins (twice over 1,400m and once over 1,600m) and two thirds.
He loves the wet, which he could get on Saturday.
His two main threats are the Fitzsimmons-trained Boomba and In All His Glory. Both last-start winners are also working great.
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