May just be two more for the road

It has been a good last three months for trainer James Peters.

Even by his modest standards, he has racked up 12 winners since June – and there could be more before the month is up.

Peters, who is in his eighth year as a fully fledged trainer at Kranji, has a team of seven lined up for the action on Aug 18 and, on form, he might just pull off a double.

The runners who could do it for him are Legend Of Niagara and Onemorefortheroad.

Both will have flowing form coming into the races and, to ensure that they remain focused on the job ahead, the Englishman – who is seventh in the trainers’ log with 25 winners – sent the pair out for a final tune-up on Aug 14.

In separate workouts on a drizzly morning in the north of Singapore, Onemorefortheroad cruised over the 600m in 41.2sec while Legend Of Niagara went a tad faster, clocking 38.9. Bruno Queiroz was astride Onemorefortheroad while Krisna Thangamani rode Legend Of Niagara.

If you have been keeping count, Onemorefortheroad, who raced formerly as Gemilang and was under the care of ex-Kranji handler Stephen Gray until April, is unbeaten in three starts for his new conditioner Peters.

Yes, he might be “just another horse” in a bigger yard, but in Peters’, where he has his meals and is bedded down, he has become an instant hero.

However, and for two reasons, his next test could be daunting.

First, the Proisir six-year-old has to deal with a promotion.

All of his four career wins, going back to May 6, 2023, have been in Class 5.

He has to take on Class 4 rivals on Aug 18 and that could be dicey.

Then there is the trip.

While three of his wins have been over 1,400m and the last one over the mile on Aug 4, Onemorefortheroad will now have to tackle the gruelling 2,000m.

It is a huge leap in distance but we know he can stay.

We saw that on Feb 3 when he ran second to Navy Seals in a Class 5 race over the 1,800m.

That day, he came from a long way back and was doing his best work late.

If he can reproduce that run, he could be something in Race 5.

As for Legend Of Niagara, his last three runs were moderate – and that is being kind.

He finished down the course to Black Storm in a Class 4 1,600m event on Jan 20.

And at his last start for trainer Mahadi Taib, which was on Feb 11, he ran sixth to King’s Gambit in a Class 4 race over the mile.

Sent to Peters’ yard, he had his first outing for his new master on Aug 4 and did nothing to inspire confidence – finishing eighth of 10 in a Class 4 1,200m on Polytrack won by Big Union, who stepped out again on Aug 11 to triumph in a Class 3 1,200m race on turf.

In his defence, those races were against Class 4 opposition.

In Race 1 on Aug 18, Legend Of Niagara will be in more familiar territory – he will take on a Class 5 Division 1 lot over the 1,100m on Poly.

The trip may not be ideal but Legend Of Niagara’s only win came at Class 5 level (over 1,400m). He has also won a fair share of trials over the sharp 1,000m trip on Poly.

It was at the Aug 11 meeting that Peters scored with Arya Pakuan in the second race, a Class 4 over 1,400m. Come Aug 18, the celebrations could begin earlier with the Niagara five-year-old handing Peters his 26th winner for the season.

Elsewhere, look out for Galaxy Bar in Race 8. The five-year-old son of Thronum was another good worker on the training track, clocking 40.8 for the 600m.

Prepared by Steven Burridge, Galaxy Bar has been a good horse for the veteran trainer.

The Australian-bred gelding began his Kranji racing career on June 11, 2023.

In the time that he has been with Burridge, he has posted four wins and two seconds.

At his last start, he was way out of his depth and finished down the course in the Group 1 Singapore Derby on July 21.

The 1,800m trip was not his cup of tea and he floundered. He will be better suited to the 1,400m he has to cover in Race 8 on Aug 18.

It is not ideal but, if you flip the pages back to Oct 28, you will find that he was a winner over this distance in Class 5.

Galaxy Bar meets some tough opponents in that upcoming race but, if he can find the lead early, he just might be able to lead them on a merry chase.

Burridge has, meanwhile, been having a good run.

He sits on 26 winners – fifth in the trainers’ championship – and, at the last meeting on Aug 11, the stable celebrated when Quadcopter took out the fifth event, a Class 5 1,200m race on turf.

Galaxy Bar, who will have 1kg claimer Krisna to guide him on Aug 18, could give them more reason to smile.

brian@sph.com.sg