Hard to topple classy Top Knight
The Stewards' Cup trip of 1,600m on the long course will suit the Michael Clements-trained Australian-bred to the ground
After three second placings since his comeback from a near five-month layoff, Top Knight richly deserves his break in Race 8 at Kranji tonight.
The Michael Clements-trained Champion Three-Year-Old of last season was expected to win his last two starts but came home a bit too late.
After his resumption with a second over the unsuitable 1,200m trip on Jan 18, he was was odds-on to make amends over 1,400m three weeks later.
He did produce his customary strong finish but, as luck would have it, he just failed to catch Aramaayo by a nose.
Last time out on Feb 29, in the $175,000 Group 3 Silver Bowl over 1,400m, he was expected to be third-time lucky but Lady Luck again deserted him.
Stablemate Bold Thruster beat him to the post, 1/2 length in front.
With Bold Thruster out of the picture, as the mile trip is deemed to be not his distance, Top Knight is left head and shoulders above his Stewards' Cup rivals tonight.
Class aside, Top Knight will also relish the 1,600m trip for the $400,000 Group 2 feature.
The Australian-bred's seven wins include the $800,000 Group 1 Singapore Guineas over the 1,600m journey.
Three-time Singapore champion jockey Vlad Duric has always liked and stuck to the horse from Day One.
Looking at the field, there will be plenty of pace in the race and it will also suit Top Knight to the ground.
Even without Bold Thruster, Clements has four other Stewards' Cup contenders.
He could quinella it with Siam Blue Vanda, who finished third in the Silver Bowl. He finished only 11/2 lengths behind Top Knight with his come-from-behind effort.
Before that, Siam Blue Vanda was unbeaten in three starts.
He is the second-highest rated Stewards' Cup candidate.
The other threat comes from the Cliff Brown-trained Pax Animi, a winner of two of his three starts. There is no telling how good he is, so the unknown factor is there.
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