Minister will have the final say
Freedman's three-time winner lights up yesterday's trackwork, one to beat in Class 2 on Saturday
With Mr Malek scratched from the Singapore Guineas (see other story), trainer Lee Freedman won't have a runner in the Singapore Group 1 feature race.
It's not often that the Australian Hall of Famer isn't represented in a big race, but don't for a moment expect to see him keeping a low profile on Saturday.
Freedman still has a strong string entered for the races. If we were to pick the best from his pack, it will have to be Minister.
The three-time winner from five starts was super impressive on the training track at Kranji yesterday morning.
With jockey A'Isisuhairi Kasim in the saddle, the horse ran the 600m in 37sec finishing full of gusto.
Minister is a champion in the making. From just five starts, he has already picked up more than $160,000 in prize money - and his work isn't even half done.
Last time out in the Singapore Derby, Minister was one of two from the Freedman yard who contested the classic. The other was Ocean Crossing.
In that 1,800m race, Minister was sent to the front from the get-go but his attempt to "steal" the race was shot to pieces by Top Knight and Elite Incredible, who mowed him down over the concluding stages.
Third place was all he could manage - but he lost no marks.
He's now in an easier contest in Saturday's $85,000 Class 2 race over 1,600m in Race 9.
It's a good race that Freedman has picked for his American-bred gelding.
Six weeks ago, he entered his charge for a similar sort of race. It was over the 1,600m on grass.
Although A'Isisuhairi chose not to adopt front-running tactics, Minister duly delivered by a neat length in 1min 34sec.
Like a good horse, he powered home over the final 200m to make it a Freedman forecast, as Ocean Crossing slotted into second spot.
Yesterday's other gallops:
RACE 1: Sun Ace (R Iskandar) 38.2 H.
RACE 4: Tuscan Artist pace work.
RACE 7: Super Dynasty (Iskandar) 40.9.
RACE 14: My Boss 36.9. Lucky Imperator (A'Isisuhairi) 40.5 H. Triple Bowl 45.3.
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