Don't jump off Royal Ruler and The Capital
Topweight in Sunday's top event but missing from the winners' circle since September, ROYAL RULER could find his way back into that hallowed enclosure - if he can bring his trackwork form to the races.
The son of Roman Ruler earned a star for his performance on the training track yesterday morning when, with stablemate The Capital for company he loosened up with a spot of cantering before running the 600m in 35.5sec.
SEVEN-TIME WINNER
Already a seven-time winner from 21 starts, Royal Ruler is better than his last four runs suggest.
While he made the board in three of those runs, his backers on the win and place option went home empty-handed when on all three occasions, he finished only fourth.
Then in his last start, when sent off as the $16 top pick, he could manage only fifth spot after being bumped off stride near the 700m mark.
Jockey Barend Vorster said later that, following the "bump", his mount only "ran on fairly".
Royal Ruler was a revelation last season, punching home five winners from April to September.
Three of those victories were over the 1,2000m and on the Polytrack - which is Sunday's track and distance.
Trained by Ricardo Le Grange, Royal Ruler looks primed to run a good race and a return to the winning list will not surprise one bit.
If he looked good on the training track, his galloping companion, THE CAPITAL, was equally impressive.
A huge disappointment in his last start when he capitulated in the home stretch to run a poor seventh to Divided House, The Capital has been working in earnest and could bounce back and win Sunday's Kranji Stakes C race over the metric mile.
A stylish winner on debut, he was the overwhelming choice of racegoers when he lined up for his second start on March 31. However, their hopes went up in smoke when The Capital folded up in the run home.
However, don't be too quick to jump off him. Another one from Le Grange's yard, The Capital ran a smart trial just last Thursday when he finished a close second to stablemate Mighty Kenny. Nothing much separated them at the finish and the pair ran the 1,000m in a smart time of 59.81sec.
TIGER BAY
Also on Sunday, keep an eye on the Stephen Gray-trained and owned TIGER BAY. He had Ismadi Amirul in the saddle when clocking 38.7sec for the 600m.
Runner-up in his last four starts, two of them by narrow margins, he richly deserves a break and the opportunity could present itself in Sunday's staying contest over the 1,900m.
Gallops by horses engaged for Friday
CLASS 3 - 1,100m: Mr Luck (CC Wong) canter/pace work. Secret Mission (O Chavez) barrier/35.8. Conflight (Chavez) 40.5. Mystic Master (S John) 39.9. Nova Missile (M Nunes) canter/37.3. Best Wishes 34.9.
Monday: Golden Tomahawk (K Toh) 39.1. Dragonhead (M Zaki) 41.7. Cadet * (Juglall) 36.1. Red Dawn 37.5.
CLASS 4 - 1,700m: Smart Lad * (Y Salim) canter/36.6. Supernova * (V Duric) canter/37.3. Gold Faith * (A Munro) canter/38.6. Arr Flair * (D Beasley) 36.5. Desert Fox (I Saifudin) 38.3. Easy Dragon 39.2.
Monday: Super Joe (B Vorster) 37.8. Silent Arrow * (E Aslam) 39.8. Verbal Link * (Juglall) 37.7.
CLASS 4 (1) - 1,100m: Pure Justice (R Zawari) canter/45.5. Faithfully * (Nunes) 35.6. Savage Storm * 37.1. Premier Fighter 38.5. Castle Queen 38.8. Dragon Kingdom 38.5. Perfect Commando (TH Koh) 39.8. Starperfect (Chavez) 38.2.
Monday: Barnato (MM Firdaus) 40.8. The Mighty Thor 37.2.
CLASS 4 (2) - 1,100m: Gato Negro * (Chavez) 35.4. Clarton Super * (I Azhar) canter/37.4. Dragon Highness 38.1. Hiko Yunikon (A'Isisuhairi) 37.3. Satellite Prince 38.7.
Monday: Marine Treasure (M Kellady) 39.2. Preferred * 34.8. Justice Lass 36.8. Amazealot 39.1.
NOVICE - 1,200m: Hydrant canter/43.3. Aotearoa * (Nunes) canter/41.1. Auspicious Ace (Azhar) canter/45.5. Farees (Kellady) 37.6. Elite Gustavo 38.8. Nova Classic (A'Isisuhairi) 39.9. Saint Lincoln (J Powell) 37.8.
Monday: Bear Witness * 36.8. Mettlesome 36.8. Great Seven 39.6. Situation * (Vorster) 36.1.
CLASS 5 - 1,700m: Big Banker 36.9. No Smoking Jeff canter/45. Nation Theatre (Salim) 44.3. Mr Miura (Koh) 36.8. Captain Royal * 39.1. Perfect Challenger * (John) 39.7. Winning Star * 36.6. Manmadhan (Koh) 40.3. Amistad (Chavez) 37.4. Pinyin canter/37.5. Pure White (Zaki) 36.2. Simpang (CC Wong) canter/38.6.
Monday: Astro Man 42.6. Percius (Amirul) 36.8. General Conatus 37.1.
CLASS 5 (1) - 1,200m: Any Rumour 39. Tassajara * 39.7. Magic Paint * 39. Racing Talent (Salim) 43.8. Lim's Battle (Aslam) 43.5. Space Oddity (Duric) canter/37.4. Margaux (Zaki) 36.7. Fortune Spirit 37.9. Lucky Command 36.4. Lady Liberty canter/45. Smart Master (John) 40.6.
Monday: Flying Winner * (Chavez) 35.1.
CLASS 5 (2) - 1,200m: In Bocca Al Lupo 43.2. Immortal Legacy (Powell) 37.6. Helen canter/37.4. Time After Time * (Woodworth) 37.2. Tenma (Beasley) 43.8. Lam Edition 37.6. Cassis Oolong 37.1.
Monday: Superten 37. Greatballs Of Fire gallop. Herecomesmymoney 41.9. Suvarnabhumi 41/41.
CLASS 5 - 1,000m: Golden Spark (WS Chan) 40.4. Hun Yeang Village (John) pace work. Rikioh (Beasley) 39.6. Lively Dragon 41.7. Rory 36.1. Knight Harlook canter/35.9. Roma 36.6.
Gallops by horses engaged for Sunday
OPEN BENCHMARK 83 - 1,200m: Royal Ruler * (N Juglall) canter/35.5. Sister In Law * (O Chavez) 36.4. Darci Charmer 38.6. Mighty Warrior 37.3. Nova Warrior (R Shafiq) 40.1. Pioneer Seven (B Woodworth) 36.1.
KRANJI STAKES C - 1,600m: Cheetah On Fire (Z Zuriman) canter/36.2. Mighty Kenny * (Juglall) canter/35.3. Chase * (D Beasley) canter/39.7. Casing Royal * (Chavez) 37.8. The Capital * (B Vorster) canter/35.5.
CLASS 4 (1) - 1,200m: Alasamo (I Saifudin) 39.2. Terms Of Reference (Vorster) 34.7. Queen Roulette 39.7. Rich Fortune * (M Nunes) 40.4. Southern Chief 38.7. Hot Gold (M Rodd) barrier/35.8.
CLASS 4 (2) - 1,200m: Charlies Missile 36.8. Hee's A Maverick (Beasley) 41.8. Lucky Mission (Chavez) 39.2. John Duke (S Sam) 37.3.
CLASS 4 (3) - 1,200m: Burn Notice 39.2. Peach Bowl * (K A'Isisuhairi) 36.6. King Kong * (Vorster) 39.1. White Coffee (Chavez) 36.4.
CLASS 4 - 1,000m: Elite General * (A Munro) 35.5. My Horse * (Beasley) 41.8. Halo Bright (Chavez) barrier/35.6. Happy Dayz (M Zaki) 38.6. Leadership (S Sam) 41.4. Phidias (Woodworth) canter/37.9. Stock Broker (K Toh) 39.1.
CLASS 5 - 1,900m: Tiger Bay * (I Amirul) 38.7.
CLASS 5 (1) - 1,100m: Prince Ferdinand canter/45. Perkins (Chavez) 38.2. Sacred Crown 36.4. Top Note * 42.
Monday: Genius 37.1.
CLASS 5 (2) - 1,100m: Hee's Ego (Beasley) 41.3. Super Joy (A'Isisuhairi) 38.4. Lion Wave pace work/41.7. Loyalty's Angel 38.5.
MAIDEN - 1,200m: Libeccio * (Amirul) 39.5. Perfect DJ * (Woodworth) 36.3. Elite Emperor * (Munro) 34.9. Jango gallop. Race For Fame (CC Wong) 34.8.
Monday: Dayuan gallop.
OPEN MAIDEN - 1,700m: Silver Spoon 39.3. Holy Grail (V Duric) canter/37.8. Always There 38.4. Chosen Harvest (Juglall) canter/34.5.
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