Chicago Star’s itching to race
The best from the trials on Tuesday morning
Chicago Star is a horse in waiting. He's waiting for a chance to show us just what he can do.
Well, not that he hasn't already.
Of course, we all know that he can win races. But because he has been so sparingly raced, it's forgivable that we sometimes forget.
Since opening his account with a win in his second start in August last year, this other talented son of Exceed And Excel has been to the races only three more times.
Of those, he finished third on two occasions and, at his last start in November, he beat a smart Class 4 field rather handily.
Trainer Jason Lim has been trying to get his galloper into the races but, on two occasions, he had to sit on the bench with the reserves and both times he never got to race.
The last time he missed out was on Jan 16. That day, he was down to take on Class 3 opponents but even as the first reserve, he never got a spot in the starting stalls.
So, when judging Chicago Star and what he is capable of, all we have are those two wins and Tuesday's trial which he claimed like a really good horse.
Ridden by S John, who won on him in August, Chicago Star gave a good account of himself in the final trial of the morning.
Jumping from six in that field of eight, John opted to keep him widest of the lot and, therefore, out of traffic.
Songgong Hera, also from Lim's yard, made the early running from Sacred Rebel and Ironchamp. Next came Chicago Star.
However, passing the 600m and into the straight, there was a change in the order. Two hundred and fifty metres out, Songgong Hera led and Chicago Star made it a Lim quinella.
But that wasn't how they would finish the trial.
Gathering his mount for one final hurrah, John got Chicago Star stretching out nicely over the final 150m and, in no time at all, they had collared the stablemate.
The winning margin was just a shorthead but the time of 60.45sec for the 1,000m was commendable, as Chicago Star raced widest of the lot for all of the journey.
Lim has entered 10 horses for Sunday's meeting. Chicago Star isn't in the team.
However, keep him on your shortlist of horses to follow. He is certainly going to win more races.
Earlier in the morning, Lim had another "winner" when Boy Xander - having an ORT or an Official Race Trial - came purring home over the concluding stages to beat the CT Kuah-trained Qingdao by a healthy length.
Ridden by Oscar Chavez, Boy Xander trialled like he knew what it was all about.
Kept away from the hustle and bustle, he looked comfortable in fourth spot as the rest of the runners sorted themselves out.
With the finish in sight, Qingdao still had the lead but was immediately challenged by Boy Xander who hit the front 100m out before clearing away to win rather easily.
Bred in New Zealand, the three-year-old does appear to be forward enough to make some waves on debut.
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