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Trainer Mahadi Taib has always thought that Red Dragon would be better over a staying trip and the four-year-old son of Redwood gets the chance to prove him right in the $50,000 Class 4 race over 2000m on Saturday.
Red Dragon may only have two wins to his name but given his first win in the Restricted Maiden race on October 23, 2021– when under the care of trainer Kuah Cheng Tee – was over 1400m and that his most recent win on January 7 last year was over 1600m, the 2000m looks in his range.
That win over the mile by two-and-a-quarter lengths from the second-placed Anyway was in Class 5 company, but it was impressive and more importantly, Mahadi thought it could also give Red Dragon the confidence to show that he is up to tackling Class 4 company and beyond.
"I believe he needed that win," explained Mahadi on Thursday.
"He (Red Dragon ) has been very competitive in Class 4 without winning so it was good to give him a win back in easier company.
"He placed third (behind Vittoria Perfetta on January 14) at his last start but his jockey (Wong Chin Chuen) said that he had a lot left in the tank so I thought to step him up in trip.
"This race over 2000m looks ideal and pretty even, so he should show us if he is up to the distance on Saturday."
Last-start winner - Melody Fair - heads the ratings on 66 points and while the Leslie Khoo-trained gelding has to carry 58.5kgs, Mahadi thinks he is the hardest to beat.
"Melody Fair is in very good form and he will be the toughest opponent," he continued.
"But we have claims (three kilos) with (apprentice jockey) Jerlyn (Seow), so we get eight-and-a-half kilo off him (Melody Fair).
"Laksana (trained by Stephen Gray) is also suited over this trip and has no weight (50.5kgs), so he is also one of the main chances too.
"We have drawn a little wide (barrier eight) so Jerlyn will try to get cover with some horses behind her. If she has to go forward – that's okay – I will leave that to her depending on the early pace in the race."
One of two four-year-olds in the race – the Michael Clements-trained Mariana Trench is the other – a Class 4 win over 2000m would also put a possible Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) campaign on the agenda.
"He's (Red Dragon) been with us for six months now and we always thought he would be better over longer. His breeding suggests that too," said Mahadi.
"But he would need to win a race like this and go through the grades before we seriously consider the (Singapore) Derby.
"He is at the right age though, so it's on the table if he shows us he can stay the trip. Who knows!"
Of his other runners, Mahadi suggested that his Hurricane Mars could improve in the $20,000 Open Maiden race over 1600m.
"The (likely) favourite (Free And Happy) will be very hard to beat but we might be some hope at odds," he said.
"His (Hurricane Mars) last trial with blinkers on was good (finished first in trial no. 5 on January 3 in the time of 1 min 0.69secs).
"(Apprentice jockey) Zyrul (Nor Azman) will ride him positively from the good barrier (three) and he's working well enough to run a good race with blinkers on first time."
Mahadi – who was only granted stables at Kranji in June last year – has knocked in four winners in 2023 and the novice Singaporean conditioner could not be happier - with one eye on what looks a promising future for his stable.
"Very happy with how things are going," he said.
"We had nine winners last year so four winners already is a really good start.
"Thanks to all my staff – especially my senior track riders TR (Thavarajan) Barnabas and Tengku Rehaizat – as they make my job easier.
"I have good owners too, who are very supportive.
"Three two-year-olds have just arrived in the stable in the last few weeks and hopefully we see them at the trials in the next few months.
"We also have five yearlings bought in New Zealand to look forward to, so that keeps us all motivated."
