Excelling set for 2020 ‘debut’

It must surely be satisfying to have a horse like Excelling racing in your colours.

Five runs. Two wins. A second and a third. That's on his resume and his earnings keep growing.

Right now, Excelling has banked in close to $100,000 for his owner and trainer, Lee Freedman, and that sum's about to grow.

The last-start winner is down to contest an interesting Class 3 sprint on Saturday afternoon and, in preparation for that assignment, Freedman sent his charge out for a workout yesterday morning.

Excelling knew what was expected of him and he would have got plenty of nods of approval when he easily disposed of the 600m in a flashy 35.8sec.

Last time out in early November, Excelling made every post a winning one, eventually coasting in with half a length to spare.

It was a dominant win and his rivals didn't get a look-in.

It was his second victory in his five career starts, the big bay having won on debut - beating the likes of Effortless and Wonderful Knight by almost three lengths.

That was in Class 4. Promoted a class, he continued to impress and, in September, he ran third to Fame Star before losing out to Lim's Craft in a 1,200m sprint on turf.

Yet to face the starter in the 2020 season, Excelling didn't put a hoof wrong when winning a trial on Jan 7.

Ridden by apprentice jockey R Iskandar in that 1,000m hit-out, Excelling ran his rivals ragged, cantering in by 31/2 lengths while clocking a not-too-shabby 60.66sec for the trip.

That trial, coupled with his excellent workout yesterday, would have topped him up sufficiently for his gig on Saturday.

Also keep an eye on Flying Tourbillon.

Down to contest the Class 4 sprint over the 1,200m, the relative newcomer - he has only had two Kranji starts - had Michael Rodd on the reins when covering the 600m in 36.3sec.

No fuss, no bother. Just honest, hard work.

A well-known face at the trials, he has had four since September.

And, although he has yet to win one, trainer Cliff Brown has had him well-schooled in the ways of racing.

A handsome chestnut by Fighting Sun, Flying Tourbillon didn't take long to settle into his Kranji stables and, in mid-October - some four months after arriving from Australia - Brown sent him out for his first race start.

It was a good Open Maiden contest featuring several talented youngsters, but Flying Tourbillon made it look all simple.

Ridden by Rodd, he waited patiently just off midfield before fashioning a run at the 150m mark.

Like a hot knife through butter, Flying Tourbillon easily put paid to his rivals' dreams, coasting home with plenty left in the tank.

Just like Excelling, Flying Tourbillon has yet to make an appearance in 2020.

But it is a good race which Brown has picked out for his four-year-old and a tip-top showing wouldn't come as much of a surprise.

WORKOUTS BY HORSES ENGAGED ON SATURDAY

CLASS 2 - 1,200M

Elite Power (R Zawari) 36.6. Top Knight 38.5. You Rokk * (Merwe) 36.2. Be Bee * (Powell) 37.4. Yulong Edition (Ng) barrier/36. Altair * (Woodworth) 36.9. Loyalty Man * (R Iskandar) 36.2.

Aramaayo (Kellady) barrier/36.

MONDAY: Quarter Back * 36.5.

CLASS 3 - 1,100M

My Dreamliner (Woodworth) pace work.

Excelling * 35.8. Special King (Koh) pace work. Unconquered 40.6. Sacred Don (Collett) 37.4. Taro San * (Yusoff) 44.5.

Coming Through * 36.6. Street Cry Success * 38.3.

CLASS 4 - 1,600M

Centurion * (CC Wong) 39.1. Auspicious Day * (Saifudin) canter/36.7. Sun Conqueror * (John) 36.5. Little Master (K A'Isisuhairi) 41.8. Silent Prince * (Kellady) 37.7.

MONDAY: So Hi Class * 36.5.

CLASS 4 - 1,200M

Arnantara * (Kellady) 37.3. Axel 36.3. Yulong Xiong Hu (CS Chin) 38.2. Flying Tourbillon * (M Rodd) 36.3. Broadway Success 38.4. Lai Mak Mak 38.4. St Alwyn * (Merwe) 42.1. Lim's Ripple canter/41.9.

MONDAY: Quantum (Kok) 38.7.

Class 4 - 1,000M

Man Of Mystery * (Ng) 37.1. Sacred Gift * (Woodworth) 37.2. Thomas De Lago (T Rehaizat) 36.5. Basilisk (J See) 43.5. Time To Rock (J See) 38.5. Jumpin Jack (Krisna) 37.2.

MONDAY: Mach * (Kok) 40.9. I Am Beautiful * 36.7.

Class 5 - 1,000M

Admiral Winston (Zawari) canter/35.5.

Nadeem Sapphire 36.4. Try Mak Mak * 35.4. Asia Spirit * (Rehaizat) 35.8.

Solitaire (A'Isisuhairi) pace work. Dontlookdownonme (A'Isisuhairi) 43.5.

OPEN MAIDEN - 1,600M

Apollo Rock 38.9 . Huntsman * (Iskandar) 37.1. Scooter * (Chin) 35.9. Tin's Machine (Woodworth) 43.3. Zoffspeed (Collett) 37.2.

Restricted Maiden (1) - 1,400M

Believer 38.3. Mister Dynamo * (Duric) 38.6. Silkardo (Merwe) 43.4. Beauty Spirit (Chin) 36.3.

Restricted Maiden (2) - 1,400M

Eunos Ave Three * (D Moor) 38.1. Rocket Winner (Koh) 40.2. Awesome Conqueror

Circuit Star (Merwe) barrier/35.9. Speed Racer (Merwe) barrier/35.9.