Fearless Warrior shows intent

Unlike some other trainers, Desmond Koh does not have a yard that is bursting at its seams and brimming with talent.

But what we do know is that the team he has is lean and mean.

Flashback to the just-concluded Singapore Derby meeting on July 21.

He had just two runners in the 10-race programme and he saddled a winner when Sacred Buddy romped in to take the Class 4 Division 2 sprint over 1,200m.

It was a thoroughly deserving victory as he beat some really nice ones in Charminton, Fire and Hasten.

Well it may seem like a merry-go-round but Koh will trot into the Lion City Cup meeting on July 28 with three runners.

Among them will be Fearless Warrior, who was pulled out of his assignment on July 21.

Well, Fearless Warrior is far away from hitting the big time and he is not one you would expect to see making the headlines.

But, right now, his name is up there – and he earned it through some dogged galloping on the training track.

Yes, on the morning of July 24, Koh sent Fearless Warrior out for a spot of work and, to make doubly sure that things went right, he entrusted the reins to Kranji’s favourite son, Manoel Nunes.

So off they went and, in a rousing workout, the six-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding ran the 600m in a brisk time of 37.8sec.

He did everything just right and his handler would have had no complaints.

So, has the son of Showcasing got what it takes to beat this bunch of Class 5 horses over 1,400m?

Why not? Although winless after 17 outings, with only a third to his credit (in a Class 4 1,600m Polytrack race on Sept 9, 2023), he has been thereabouts in his recent runs. Indeed, four of his last six runs saw him finish fourth.

It has been frustrating for Koh and his owners, the M Racing Stable, since Fearless Warrior made his debut on May 14, 2023.

But that is the nature of this game. It is also well documented that, in this same game, things could change from race to race.

And, on the strength of his workout, you have to give Fearless Warrior a big chance when he lines up in Race 3 on July 28.

Also impressive on the training track was Ben’s Champion, who strode out fluently to clock 40.3 for the 600m.

An Australian-bred three-year-old, he has already started paying for his board and lodging at trainer Tim Fitzsimmons’ yard.

At his ninth outing on May 25, and ridden by Ryan Curatolo in a tough Open Maiden race over 1,400m, Ben’s Champion came off a spot in midfield to beat Spieth Heroine by 1½ lengths.

Neglected in the betting, he rewarded his backers with a sweet payout of $66.

A month later, on June 27, he won a trial in impressive fashion, beating Eruption by a nose. That day, he failed by milli-seconds to break the minute mark, clocking 1min 00.60sec for the 1,000m dash.

Obviously impressed by that trial, racegoers sent him off as the $18 second pick on July 7.

The son of Needs Further did not fire in the Class 5 1,400m event, finishing fourth to Onemorefortheroad.

He deserves another chance and we could see him in the winner’s enclosure after the running of Race 5 on July 28.

If you are still around for the last race on Lion City Cup Day, keep an eye on Star Express. He could send you home smiling.

Taken out by Krisna Thangamani, whose feet will be in the irons on race day, the four-year-old Sebring gelding was not asked to do much and he clocked just 42.6 for the 600m.

But his was a fluent gallop and it should perk him up for the 1,200m sprint on July 28.

A versatile sort who can sprint and stay, the Australian-bred gelding is prepared by James Peters, whose horses have been ticking over nicely in recent weeks.

As for Star Express, his connections know that the task is huge.

After winning that Class 5 race over 1,200m on June 22, he was nudged up to Class 4, where he finished down the course over 1,700m.

However, he is back to the sprints and, with just a featherweight of 50kg, could be a lively outsider in the Class 4 1,200m contest.

brian@sph.com.sg