January to make amends in February

January looks odds-on to recoup his last-start losses at the first February meeting at Kranji on Saturday.

The ultra-consistent three-year-old New Zealand-bred – five starts for two wins, two seconds and a third – is definitely a lot fitter after his first run for 2023.

And, more importantly, he is back over his winning surface (turf) and 1,400m trip.

He is also drawn favourably again in Gate 3 – the same as his last engagement – and is meeting just another average field.

Trained by Donna Logan for the Thai-owned Falcon Racing No. 7 Stable, the bay gelding by Swiss Ace was backed as if he had grown an extra pair of legs in his last start on Jan 14.

Despite racing on the Polytrack for the first time, race-goers jumped on the bandwagon and made him the $8 favourite in the Class 4 event over 1,100m.

It was obvious. He had the consistency and potential.

What was more, he had four-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes aboard.

But Lady Luck favoured Bionics that day.

Just as Nunes looked home and hosed on January, jockey Amirul Ismadi brought the Young Keah Yong-trained Bionics up on the line to score by a short head.

But January lost no marks. He was game in defeat.

Some say he was just short of a run, as he had not raced since his back-to-back double over 1,400m on turf on Nov 19.

Nunes, for one, knows he will be on a fitter horse going over his pet course and distance in Race 5.

“His last run was actually very good. The 1,100m was too short for him, the 1,400m will suit him better,” said the season’s joint leader with Wong Chin Chuen on 11 wins.

“I don’t think he is a sprinter, for sure, and don’t forget that was his first run for the season that day. He had no trials and was a bit fresh.”

Nunes feels that January has improved and also hopes an extra gear would help guide the horse to victory on Saturday.

“He worked well. I am very happy with the way he is going,” said the genial Brazilian.

“I have asked Donna to put the shadow roll on him. I feel that he needs the gear because, the last time when he hit the front, he was waiting for the other horse behind.

“So, hopefully, the shadow roll will help and guide him to the line.”

The champion jockey is also looking forward to his first race-pairing with Logan’s nine-time winner King Arthur in the $110,000 Group 3 Merlion Trophy over the Poly 1,200m in Race 11.

He has done a lot of slow work and a pace work on the Fortuna NZ Racing Stable-owned Group 1 Lion City Cup runner-up, who lost to the Daniel Meagher-trained Lim’s Kosciuszko in that 1,200m classic on Aug 14, 2022.

He was then ridden by Australian jockey Blake Shinn.

“I’m also very happy with him. He’s another horse whose last run over 1,200m was actually a good run (sixth),” said Nunes.

“He did not finish far from the winner, Sky Eye.

“He is working good. I did pace work on him on Tuesday and I’m looking forward to riding him.

“He’s a good horse who can handle both turf and Poly surfaces.

“But, of course, we’ve got to respect Lim’s Kosciuszko, Rocket Star, Surpass Natural and Celavi.

“Lim’s Kosciuszko has come back from Hong Kong and he’s a class horse. Vlad (Duric) is riding Surpass Natural.

“Anyway, we’ll see how, I’m looking forward to the race.”

King Arthur is the second-highest contender (105 points) after Lim’s Kosciuszko (111). The duo have the slight advantage under the weight-for-age terms.

They carry the same 57.5kg as the rest, except the Michael Clements-trained mare Celavi (56kg), who won the last Merlion Trophy on Nov 27, 2021.