Invincible Tycoon out for more riches
Lim’s Kosciuszko in strong Raffles Cup race but owner’s ‘Tycoon’ stands out in Class 4
Reigning champion owner Lim’s Stable’s newly crowned 2022 Horse of the Year Lim’s Kosciuszko will most likely start favourite in the $300,000 Group 1 Raffles Cup over 1,600m in Saturday’s penultimate event.
As the highest rated contender, he appears the horse to beat without having to concede weight all round. All runners will carry 58kg.
But, looking at the line-up, there are some classy rivals who will breathe down his neck, namely trainer Ricardo Le Grange’s pair of Singapore Gold Cup winner Hongkong Great and Katak.
Champion trainer Tim Fitzsimmons’ Cyclone and Mr Black Back also have the credentials for black-type events.
Minister, the 2021 $1 million Kranji Mile victor, and the game-but-luckless big-race contender Sacred Croix can also score on their day.
So, Lim’s Kosciuszko has to be at his very best to bring home the lolly for Lim Siah Mong of Lim’s Stable.
While hopeful, trainer Daniel Meagher conceded that his stable star “is not fully screwed down” for the Raffles Cup.
“He will show his best but the Kranji Mile (on May 20) is his grand final, so we have to leave some in the tank,” he said.
The connections, of course, will be keeping their fingers crossed, but their safer proposition for the afternoon is Invincible Tycoon in the last of 12 events.
One of the few horses without the prefix Lim’s to their names, Invincible Tycoon is a horse going places.
After his debut sixth over 1,200m on Jan 28, the Steven Burridge-trained four-year-old Australian-bred blossomed.
He scored an emphatic victory second-up on Feb 12, coming from way back with his pulverising run to beat Champagne Finale by a neat length. He clocked a smart 1min 10.09sec for the 1,200m.
If not for bad luck, he should have made it back-to-back over the same distance on Feb 25.
He ran into all sorts of trouble. He was slow into stride, steadied off the heels of another runner near the 500m and was held up a short distance passing the 300m.
He flew home but just failed to catch the winner, Luxury Brand, by a head. The winning time was a swift 1: 09.71.
It was evident that without any of the setbacks, Invincible Tycoon would have been the winner.
All his three runs were in Class 4 and the best thing is he remains in the same grade on Saturday.
That stands him in good stead. He will be very hard to beat.
After all, his 13 rivals look ordinary. He has the best form and he will assert his superiority to rise to Class 3 – and to better things.
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