Katak just too good

What is there not to like about Katak?

If you have to split hairs or nit-pick, you could say there were hiccups at the start of his Kranji career.

But, that said, once he settled, he has – like a Ferrari in the garage – been a good horse to have in the yard.

He catches the eye every time he steps out – be it for a training gallop or the real thing. Not to stare at him would be to miss the plot.

Indeed, every time we watch him parade and race we are reminded of that mysterious thing we call “class”.

Katak has it. That great “tick of the heart”.

As one of a clutch of horses at Kranji who are in three-figures at the ratings, Katak turned on the style at the trials on Tuesday morning and, in the process, he justified his 101 points.

It was his first outing since finishing way out of the honours in the International Group 3 event, Kranji Mile.

That day, when carrying sentimental support and being sent off as the $43 chance, Katak was up with the rest until the 150m mark, where Manoel Nunes had to ease him off the heels of another runner. He eventually beat just two home.

The month’s break has done him a world of good.

We saw it at the trials when Katak showed his rivals a clean pair of heels – dictating things from the get-go to the finish line.

What made it all the more noteworthy was the fact that the trial featured some high-class horseflesh, like Minister (92 rating points) and Pennywise (82).

But Katak, in his usual fluent style, made it all look casual.

Ridden by Vlad Duric and jumping from the innermost chute, Katak soon overtook his stablemate, Pennywise, to lead the field to the 600m marker.

Well into the home stretch and with a furlong to travel, you could tell that Katak was doing it on memory.

There was no surge. It was a matter of Duric holding him together and coaxing him home.

That, he did. Hardly blowing, Katak went to the line half a length clear of Pennywise, with Paletas coming home for third.

Minister, who was a tad slow to get into stride, came home with a flourish to finish fourth. It was a good effort from the Donna Logan-trained runner.

But it was all about Katak. If anything, the effort did impress.

Katak clocked 60.44sec for the 1,000m on the Polytrack.

If that gallop was an indication of what he could and might do in his racing endeavours in the weeks ahead, well, the others had better get down to business real fast.

Because, no matter how you look at it, in this subculture of sawdust and feed buckets, trainer Ricardo Le Grange has already got Katak humming.

As for Minister, the Thai-owned stayer who used to be known as Bye Bye Hong Kong in UK, Tuesday’s trial would have trimmed off some of the rough edges.

Minister has been off the boil since that last win in May last year. That was when he came from the rear to beat the likes of Lim’s Lightning and Top Knight in the Kranji Mile.

On the strength of Tuesday’s trial, he seems to be running into a vein of form. It might not be as rich as Katak.

But, sure as ever, it could make him a contender should Logan and the powerful King Power Stable decide to throw their hats into the ring for future big races.

Tuesday’s Kranji barrier trial results:

TRIAL 1
1 Legacy Reign (B. Pinheiro) 
2 Silent Force (R. Stewart) 
3 Chipmunks (M. Akmazani)
4 Adipson (W.H. Kok) 
5 Raging Brave 
6 Silent Partner (K. Hakim)
7 Milimili (C.C. Wong) 
Margins and time: 
1 1/4, 3/4, hd, 1/2, 6 3/4, 6 1/4 
(1min 01.46 sec)

TRIAL 2
1 Katak (V. Duric) 
2 Pennywise (Pinheiro) 
3 Paletas (M. Ibrahim)
4 Minister (J. Bayliss) 
5 Shepherd’s Hymn (M. Lerner)
6 Basilisk (I. Saifudin) 
7 Clergyman (Wong) 
Margins and time: 
1/2, 1/2, 2, 1/2, 3, 4 1/2
(1:00.44)