Ejaz goes for 2nd shot at Polytrack

With a metal rod keeping one of Ejaz’s knees together, trainer Steven Burridge would not want things to get even more “screwed up” for the talented sprinter.

The Australian horseman takes care of his 28 horses like his own children, but Ejaz is probably one of those who gets a second look-over before he locks up the barn every evening, especially that off-fore knee.

When the son of Street Boss came to him after his former trainer Michael Clements left Singapore in September 2023, Burridge had to hang fire before he could push the reset button after the knee operation-induced one-year break.

Even after he did, Ejaz did not pick up where he left off.

A brilliant four-in-a-row once firmed him as the ante-post favourite for the 2023 3YO series, but the injury dashed all those hopes.

It also proved to be a setback that could not be overcome overnight.

The first-up closing fourth in a Class 3 (1,200m) on March 9 was encouraging, but the follow-up when stepped up to 1,400m three weeks later was a disaster.

The four-year-old tracked up well, but was a beaten horse at the 400m. He ran last.

Blinkers were then added on at his next start on April 27, along with a drop back down to 1,200m.

Ejaz turned up with a better finish that was more reminiscent of his three-year-old blitz, but still could not cut back runaway winner Pacific Vampire.

He was knocking on the door. The winning comeback duly arrived at his first Polytrack test in a 1,100m speed dash on June 1.

However, Burridge had to again hold his horses at his next start two weeks later.

“It was that four-horse race that Ghalib won,” he said in reference to that infamous June 16 race where Ejaz’s stablemate upstaged favourite Golden Monkey after catching all three rivals napping.

“Ejaz was also in the race, but we pulled him out. He pulled up a bit scratchy after his last race, he was not 100 per cent.

“I had to back him off, take him along quietly again, and nurse him back. He’s a good horse, but unfortunately, he’s not the soundest horse, so we have to look after him.

“As he was given a white card, he had to pass a fitness test, which he did. But then, we had to find another suitable race for him.”

A Polytrack event on the calendar does not daunt Burridge any more. But the sharp trip of the $70,000 Class 3 event on July 13 did make him think twice.

“The 1,000m may be too short, but there were no other races,” said Burridge.

“With horses like Illustrious and Pacific Vampire, they will roll along. We’ll ride him off the pace and hopefully he can finish on top of them.

“Barrier No. 2 is in his favour, he will get back on the fence. Manoel (Nunes) rode him to all his five wins and knows what to do.”

Burridge will be kept busy with a trio of horses in the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1,800m) on July 21, including Al-Arabiya’s Makin, the stable’s main hope while Galaxy Bar and Jungle Cruise may struggle at that level.

With the Singapore Derby one of the feature races still missing from his CV in 20 years at Kranji, Burridge will be hoping that Makin can improve on his second and third (both to Lim’s Saltoro) in the Group 3 Silver Bowl (1,400m) and Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) respectively.

He is not writing off his two long shots, though. He has even booked a fly-in jockey for the Galaxy Bar steer, one of Sydney’s up-and-comers, Tyler Schiller.

“It’ll be a first test over 1,800m for Makin, but I see no reason why he can’t get it,” said Burridge.

“We know the other two can stay, Galaxy Bar even won over 1,800m once. But they’re all in good shape.”

manyan@sph.com.sg