Super Impact close to making some noise

In total, the three of them have been to the races just eight times.

Super Impact has faced the starter thrice. 

AJ Golden Sixtyone has done it four times, while Valerie has had just a solitary race.

None have been in the winner’s stall at Kranji yet. 

But they have been serving notice that the elusive first win is not far away.

All three came out at the barrier trials on Tuesday morning and they all impressed.

Two of the trio – Valerie and AJ Golden Sixtyone – are from the stables of first-season trainer Mahadi Taib, while Super Impact hails from Donna Logan’s power-packed yard.

So, the question. Who among the three impressed the most? 

That one is subjective. But the easiest win came from Valerie.

A filly by Vanbrugh, Valerie won by 41/4 lengths and she was doing her best work over the concluding stages of that Poly 1,000m sprint.

However, the talking point would have been Super Impact’s win in the third trial. 

The Real Impact five-year-old is beginning to find his feet and could soon realise his potential.

Partnered by Jake Bayliss, he was just humming along when winning his trial, which featured talents like Boomba, Mr Malek and Hard Too Think.

Never going around any runners after easing into the box-seat from barrier No. 1, Super Impact extended willingly without being fully tested to score by 3/4 lengths.

A six-figure purchase as a yearling, he was thrown into the deep end by Logan when she sent him to contest the Singapore Derby (1,800m) at just his third start.

As it turned out, she knew what she was doing as Super Impact – who was sent off as the $243 roughie – took third, just a head and a neck behind Lim’s Kosciuszko and Relentless.

He can only get better and, with his sights set on the big staying events coming up – like the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in October and the Singapore Gold Cup in November – it could pay to keep tabs on his journey.

Back to Valerie’s win. The filly jumped with the field but was snagged back and sat last when they made that sweeping left-hander on the far side.

Into the stretch, her track rider fashioned a run from wide out.

With Italian Revolution and Raising Sixty-One seemingly in the clear, Valerie made her move.

Charging home, the three-year-old found wings, and like a hot knife through butter, she sliced the deficit and cleared away to take the trial like a seasoned pro.

Yes, it was hard to tell – from that showing – that Valerie beat just two home over 1,100m at her only start in early August.

If she can bring this trial form to the races, Mahadi could be looking at one more winner to add to his five for his rookie season.

Mahadi’s AJ Golden Sixtyone is another one for the notebook.

Not yet destined for the big time – his four race starts have not produced any signs to suggest greatness – AJ Golden Sixtyone could, however, be something to consider when he next faces the starter.

Ridden by the veteran Saifudin Ismail, the English-bred four-year-old showed that he was game for a rumble when he made Silent Is Gold blink first in what was a tight battle to the finish.

Locked together like Siamese twins over the last 100m, Saifudin squeezed every last ounce out of his mount and AJ Golden Sixtyone delivered.

The margin was a nose and the time for the 1,000m was 61.24sec.

On a morning when no land speed records were set or broken, it turned out to be the fastest of the four trials.

Tuesday’s Kranji barrier trial results:

TRIAL 1
1 Valerie
2 Raising Sixty-one (C.C. Wong)
3 Italian Revolution (J. Bayliss)
4 Runminderbinderrun (D. Beasley)
5 Jazz Band (M. Kellady)
Margins and time: 
4 1/4, 3/4, 1 3/4, hd (1min 03.11 sec)

TRIAL 2
1 Last Samurai (B. Pinheiro)
2 Charmshaab 
3 Quadcopter (M. Lerner)
Margins and time: 
17, 323/4    (1:01.63)

TRIAL 3
1 Super Impact (Bayliss)
2 Trident (S. Jamil)
3 Boomba (V. Duric)
4 Mr Malek (Pinheiro)
5 Hard Too Think (Beasley)
6 Trumpy (K. A’Isisuhairi)
Margins and time: 
3/4, shd, 1 1/4, ns, 11/4 (1:02.28)

TRIAL 4
1 AJ Golden Sixtyone (I. Saifudin)
2 Silent Is Gold (R. Fahmi)
3 Winning Spirit (Pinheiro)
4 The Star (Duric)
5 Our Pinnacle (W.H. Kok)
6 Heavenly Dancer (L. Beuzelin)
7 Sacred Croix (Wong)
Margins and time: 
Ns, 1 3/4, 3 1/2, 2, 1, hd (1:01.24)