Circuit Star should shine again
Twice runner-up Ironclad highly likely to be third-time lucky tonight
Last-start winner Circuit Star appears to have made vast improvement and should follow up with another victory in Race 9 at Kranji tomorrow.
Ironclad, on the other hand, should make his third start a successful one in a weak Open Maiden field in tonight's Race 4.
Trained by Lee Freedman, Circuit Star stepped up on three runs to score a convincing win on Jan 18 - his fourth Restricted Maiden start.
Ridden by Brazilian jockey Ruan Maia, who will be astride again tonight, the three-year-old New Zealand-bred was eager to gallop but was restrained and kept second-last in the six-horse field early.
Maia angled Circuit Star to the outside on straightening and his mount lengthened beautifully. Circuit Star shot to the front 250m out and the race was all over bar the shouting.
The chestnut gelding romped home by 31/4 lengths over the 1,400m on turf.
Granted the winning time of 1min 23.66sec wasn't that great, but the manner in which he bulldozed to the front on seeing daylight was truly impressive.
The extra 200m on the Polytrack should suit Circuit Star, who did a winning hit-out with Maia aboard on Tuesday.
Ironclad, who found one to beat in both starts, has a great chance to be third-time lucky.
The Steven Burridge-trained four-year-old Australian-bred has a few ticks in the Open Maiden event in Race 4 tonight.
He has an ideal trip (1,400m), a nice barrier (Gate 6, compared to 12 and 13 in his earlier starts) and a weak opposition.
Ironclad showed promise at his debut on Jan 4. He came from last at the top of the straight to flash home second by three lengths to the promising Sacred Gift, who has now scored back-to-back wins. That was over the Polytrack 1,000m.
Just 13 days later, Ironclad beat all but Cavalla Court by 11/2 lengths over 1,200m on turf.
He now looks spot-on for the winning rostrum spot.
Zaki, Moloney suspended
Jockeys M Zaki and Patrick Moloney have been suspended for careless riding.
M Zaki received four Singapore race days - until Feb 9 - after pleading guilty to a charge of careless riding on Bounceback Ability in Race 3 last Sunday.
It was established that passing the 500m mark, he made insufficient effort to prevent his mount from shifting outwards when insufficiently clear of Performante. Performante was carried outwards onto Amazing Choice, who, in turn, was carried outwards across the running of Hidden Promise. Hidden Promise was checked.
Zaki was advised of his right of appeal.
Moloney, the rider of What's New in Race 9 on the same day, also pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding.
He directed his mount out near the 250m mark,when insufficiently clear of Skywalk, who checked and lost the running to which the horse was entitled.
As Moloney is riding tonight and tomorrow, his suspension will be from Feb 2 to Feb 14 (three Singapore race days).
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