Surge in rattling form for Friday
With two wins from his first three races and a fourth placing at his last outing, Surge is no slouch and trainer Leticia Dragon could be working him towards another victory.
The son of Exceed And Excel is entered for the Class 3 "flyer" over the 1,100m on Friday and that could be his target.
Surge was all zip on the training track at Kranji yesterday morning, running out the 600m in 39.3sec.
Granted. It wasn't the swiftest of gallops but, sure as ever, it was indicative of a good horse.
A big fella, who tips the scales in the 550kg range, Surge has - from Day One - been a star in Dragon's yard.
He arrived in April last year, settled in well and, six months later, he had his first trial. He won that one in a smart 59.89sec. He had his second hit-out a fortnight later, losing out to Aramaayo by half a length.
The work done, Dragon picked a Class 4 race for his debut. However, he was disadvantaged when he drew the BKE in that 1,200m sprint.
It meant he had to race wide without cover for the entire trip and he was never a factor, finishing four lengths and in fifth spot behind Pax Animi.
Surge had a six-week break and, when he returned on New Year's Day, Dragon had him as tight as a piano wire.
Alas, again, he drew wide but he had been schooled in the ways of winning.
Although he was again obliged to race wide, he proved too smart for his rivals - winning that 1,000m race by a neat length.
He must have enjoyed the taste of victory because he made it a race-to-race double, beating California by the narrowest of margins over the 1,100m. Both times, John Powell was the man in the saddle.
Come Friday's standalone meeting, Surge will be having just his third start for 2020.
But first, he must get a place in the line-up. He is now the second reserve.
Sure, it's a Class 3 sprint but I reckon he's up to the task.
Also having his first run in a higher class will be Muraahib.
From Lee Freedman's yard, he was also out on the training track where he ran the 600m in a breezy 38.5sec. A'Isisuhairi "Harry" Kasim did the steering.
Last time out, Muraahib ran fourth behind Lim's Dream in a tough Class 2 affair.
And before that, he took home a cheque when third to the very-talented Fame Star in a $100,000 Kranji Stakes A race over the 1,200m on grass.
Owned by the Oscar Racing Stable, Muraahib opened his Kranji account with a fluent 21/2-length win in Class 3 last September.
On that showing, we expected more wins to come but, surprisingly, those victories weren't forthcoming.
But Muraahib is better than that. Although he meets some really smart ones on Friday, he will run an honest race and must be given every consideration.
Charming Diamond is another who should run well.
The first reserve in the Class 4 sprint over the 1,200m, this last-start winner is retaining that form.
He, too, was another who impressed on the training track, running the 600m in 38.4sec. Jockey Matthew Kellady was the pilot. Keep him on your shortlist for Friday.
BRIAN MILLER
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