Dancing Light does slow waltz

On the morning of Aug 22, when the trials turned out to be more like some good stretch-outs, Dancing Light caught the eye when leading from pillar to post.

Like the two other winners on that bright and sunny morning, this six-year-old did not break any land speed records, clocking 1min 01.99sec for the 1,000m.

But his trainer, Tim Fitzsimmons, would not have any complaints.

Aside from being a tad slow, his charge did everything right.

With French jockey Ryan Curatolo having made sure his mount remained alert in the gates, Dancing Light bounded out like a good horse and quickly put a couple of lengths on the chasing pack of Nimbus Star, Pacific Padrino and January.

Into the home stretch and it became a two-horse affair when Dancing Light and Nimbus Star dropped off the other two runners.

In what was a good run to the line, Dancing Light took the trial by half-a-length.

Dancing Light has already punched home six victories in a career which began with a debut win on Jan 8, 2022.

Would Fitzsimmons have been surprised with that front-running show at the trials?

Perhaps. After all, only two of his six wins were done from the front. The rest of his victories saw him charge home from a spot off midfield.

Like that last one on June 30, which happened to be his last start.

That day, under visiting rider Chad Schofield, the Street Boss gelding came from off the pace to beat Surrey Hills by a neat length in a race over the sharp 1,000m.

Yes, he is a versatile sort who looks capable of adding another win to his portfolio before Singapore racing shuts down on Oct 5.

In the opening hit-out, Hasten and Forest Gold ditched their two rivals early and, for the rest of the journey, made it a two-horse affair.

It was heads up, heads down all the way to the line where apprentice Sazali Ramli – on Hellbent progeny Hasten – got the better of the Daniel Moor-ridden Forest Gold. The margin was a shorthead and they did it in 1:01.48.

Forest Gold, who returned lame after his last start on Aug 4 when he beat just one home over the mile, was having a 1,000m veterinary test which he passed.

A stylish winner on Feb 11, the Star Witness gelding has been finding it hard to win again.

Indeed, the last time he made the board was when he finished third in a 2,000m race on April 27.

The final trial of the morning brought together five runners and a lot was expected from Lim’s Bighorn. Winner of the highly competitive Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic on April 27, he was the highest-rated runner (67 points) in the field.

As it turned out, the connections had a different plan.

Lim’s Bighorn was not going to go hell for leather. It was just going to be a leisurely hit-out.

So, after jumping cleanly and leading at the 600m, jockey Marc Lerner applied the brakes and the son of Better Than Ready cruised to the line to take fourth spot.

His time for the 1,000m was 1:01.71. The winner, Nimbus Cloud, ran the trip in 1:01.36 with Krisna Thangamani in the saddle.

He had pinched the lead a furlong out after a short tussle with Green Star, the mount of leading apprentice Jerlyn Seow.

Few expected such a big run from Green Star.

Come on, the guy is not just old. At 11, he is ancient.

But he can still raise a gallop. So hats off to him and trainer Fitzsimmons for nursing him along.

So, the next time you see the Iffraaj gelding at the races, get off your seat and give him a round of applause. He is one of a kind.

brian@sph.com.sg