Polished show by third-place Katak
Ricardo Le Grange’s former South African triple Group 3 winner is a star at the trials
At the trials, it is not so much where you finish. But how you finish.
Take the case of Katak.
He finished third, beaten by Griffin and Happy Moment in the final trial on Tuesday morning.
While the winner and runner-up ran out the 1,000m trip in 60.21sec and 60.59sec respectively, Katak clocked 60.77sec.
Here is the thing. By opting to take the final turn really wide, Katak must have run at least 1,020m.
Indeed, when Manoel Nunes opted for the scenic route home on Katak, it looked – for a while – like he was asking his mount to take the MRT train home.
Yes, Katak covered more ground than the two who beat him. Yet the distance between him and the winner was just around three lengths.
Then again, Katak was not out to win the trial. If anything, it was a stretch-out at a full gallop and, on that count, he did really well.
Clearing the chute cleanly, it was never his intention to lead. So Nunes parked him widest of the lot and away from the brawl up front.
Never at any stage could you say that he “made his move” to challenge for a win.
Indeed, the intent must have been to run the trial like it was a limbering-up exercise. Well, that he did, and in style.
Already a winner of several nice races and runner-up to Hard Too Think in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in October, Katak is being dressed up for the big races to come in the second and third quarter of the season.
Like the Group 1 Kranji Mile on May 21.
Right now, he sits on a race-to-race double, having scored over 1,400m in a competitive Class 2 event and later in a Kranji Stakes “A” race over the mile.
Sandwiched between those victories was another “win” that came at a trial on Feb 15.
That day, when partnered by Danny Beasley, he gave Makkem Lad a walloping, beating the eight-time winner by three lengths.
Anyway, we all know Katak’s story.
Undefeated in five starts in South Africa, including claiming the Cape Winter Series Triple Crown, he was flown in with a specific purpose – to mount a series of attacks on the big races and collect as much silverware as possible.
He ran second in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and fourth in the Singapore Gold Cup, all when he was “coming along”.
Well, Ricardo Le Grange has him right where he wants him to be at this stage of his career.
Katak’s two runs this season have produced wins for the Vasco Stable.
The next two could see his name up in lights.
Also impressive at the trials was One World.
While in a different class altogether from Katak, One World won his hit-out with a come-from-behind showing.
Ridden by Mark Ewe, he left his spot in third place and came charging down the outside.
Along the way, he collected I’m A Conqueror (Saifudin Ismail) and the pair went to the line locked together.
It took a print of the finish to determine the winner and One World got the nod by a nose. Winner and runner-up clocked 62.13sec.
Prepared by David Kok, who also happens to own the eight-year-old gelding, One World’s last win was 14 months ago.
It was his second career success, coming nine months after he broke the duck.
One World is not going to reach the pinnacle of Singapore racing any time soon.
But, although he is getting long in the tooth, he is capable of pulling out another win from the hat and Kok seems to have found a suitable race for him.
Over the 1,200m and against Class 5 Division 2 opposition on the Polytrack, he could be the one charging home on Saturday.
Tuesday’s Kranji barrier trial results:
TRIAL 1
1 Ferocious
2 Poruna Cabeza
3 Minhaaj (T Rehaizat)
4 Rey Elvis (M Kellady)
Margins and time:
1/2, 8, 1 (1min 02.43 sec)
TRIAL 2
1 One World (M Ewe)
2 I’m A Conqueror (I Saifudin)
3 Everest (M Nunes)
4 Gold Zest (M Zaki)
5 Ironprince (WH Kok)
Margins and time:
NS, 1 3/4, 1/2, 1 3/4 (1:02.13)
TRIAL 3
1 Griffin (TH Koh)
2 Happy Moment (B Woodworth)
3 Katak (M Nunes)
4 Leatherhead (J Bayliss)
5 Adipson (Kok)
Margins and time:
2 1/4, 1, 1, 10 (1:00.21)
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