Inferno burns up the track
Mr Malek, Excelling also impress for Lion City Cup
Have we seen everything Inferno has to offer?
Can we safely say the flames have been doused and that it is safe to look elsewhere in the big races? No. No. And no.
There is plenty of oxygen in those ample lungs of his; sufficient to keep the fire burning. That said, Inferno has Sunday's Lion City Cup at his mercy.
As if to remind us - and his rivals - of just how good he really is, Inferno put in a faultless gallop on the training track at Kranji yesterday morning.
Taken out by the man who knows him best - Vlad Duric - Inferno turned in a gallop which was par excellence.
Not asked to do much, the Cliff Brown-trained galloper covered 600m in 38.7sec.
Others in the Cup line-up went faster. Like, Mr Malek who stopped the clock at 36.3sec with Ruan Maia astride. Stablemate Excelling also impressed in 37.3sec with A'Isisuhairi Kasim aboard.
But, for sheer performance, it was Inferno who was glowing. Did we expect anything less? Hardly, I would think so.
Aside from a few at the bottom quarter of the field, it is a showcase of high-class sprinters lined up for the $400,000 Group 1 event.
And there is none that the punters love more than that money-machine we call Inferno. While his credentials read like the report card of a straight-As student, it is worth repeating.
Eight starts, seven wins - including the Magic Millions, Aushorse Golden Horseshoe, Saas Fee Stakes, Singapore Classic and, most recently, the Singapore Guineas. What a horse.
But a one-horse race? Don't count on it. Challenging for honours will be talents like Excelling and Mr Malek.
Mr Malek won two of his last three races. The only blemish came when he ran third to Inferno in the 1,400m Classic.
But he quickly made amends, winning his next race over 1,600m. A horse on the improve, he will have a busload of fans on Sunday afternoon.
As for Excelling, A'Isisuhairi did the steering when the six-year-old charged home to claim the Merlion Trophy in mid-August. It was the first time he rode Excelling - and it would not be the last.
Excelling's potential has been understated. It was only when he lifted the Merlion that the spotlight shone on him.
He is already six. But it could be said he is still developing. Five wins from 10 starts and about $300,000 in stakemoney is not something to be sniffed at.
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