3 minute read
A little rain before Saturday would enhance the winning chances of Street Cry Success in the $50,000 Class 4 race (1600m), according to his trainer Steven Burridge.
The experienced Australian conditioner – who will also saddle two last-start Class 5 winners in Lim's Dreamwalker and Citizen in the same race – believed his nine-year-old is a better proposition with the sting out of the ground and he was buoyed by forecast of rain before the weekend.
Street Cry Success also enjoys a drop from Class 3 company – where he had been more than honest albeit without a win – and gets a handy two-kilo claim with jockey Yusoff Fadzli on board.
Besides, a fair barrier six and the drop back from an unsuitable 1800m trip to the mile are also in the son of Street Cry's favour, so the only winning ingredient needed may be the precipitation that Burridge hopes for.
"Rain would be nice," summated Burridge on a sunny Thursday morning.
"There was a little bit (of rain) yesterday - and some forecast for tomorrow - so hopefully the track has a bit of give for my horse (Street Cry Success) as he can jar up on a firm track.
"We gave him a go over 1800m last start (finished fifth to Maxima on 14 October) where he got back from the wide gate (eight) and there was no pace early, which didn't help.
"But in saying that, even though he loomed a place chance at the 200m, I don't think he got the trip.
"So being back to the mile will suit him. We have put Yusoff on as he is a good heavyweight claimer. There won't be much 'dead weight' (lead weight) and you would think he (Street Cry Success) got in well with 56kgs in this company."
Of his two other runners in the Class 4 mile, Burridge thought the stronger company may test the pair, but both runners are in form and should be competitive with no weight.
"They are both up in Class after winning but they have shown before they can run well in this company," he explained.
"But Lim's Dreamwalker (x Dream Ahead) has drawn the widest in 13, which makes his job tough. (Apprentice jockey) Jerlyn (Seow) will have her work cut out from there, but you never know.
"Citizen has drawn better in (barrier) three and (jockey) (Iskandar) Rosman will claim his full two kilos and ride at 48.5kgs. That's a nine-kilo drop in weights from his win last Saturday (in a Class 5 race over 1400m), so he could run a good race."
Burridge also has multiple runners entered in an earlier race on the card - the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1400m - with Makin and Lim's Craft both live chances.
"I thought Makin (x Written Tycoon) ran really well last Saturday (finished second to Knippenberg in Class 4 company over 1200m)," he said.
"It was his first run for me and he had drawn badly (in 12), so it was a good effort to run a place. But to be honest, he did fluke a good run on the rails.
"Unfortunately, he has drawn terribly again (gate 13), so (jockey) Manoel (Nunes) will have to earn his fee.
"Lim's Craft (x Smart Missile) has drawn better (in gate eight) and he's very honest. He's not a big horse though, so he can struggle with a heavy weight. That's why we had him in Class 3 at his last start (finished in third over 1400m on 7 October but promoted to second on protest).
"Yusoff will ride him as well and his two-kilo claim gets him down to 57kgs, which is only a kilo over his last winning weight (56kgs). He (Lim's Craft) has a good record over 1400m, so I think with some luck, he should figure."
Apart from those five runners on Saturday, Burridge was also happy to report that Mr Malek and Invincible Tycoon are on track for arguably the biggest race of the year, the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on 11 November. They finished fifth and third respectively to Hongkong Great in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) five days ago.
"I thought they both ran great in the (Group 1) QEII Cup (1800m) last Saturday," explained Burridge.
"Mr Malek (x Swiss Ace) jarred up a bit on the firm track – I think a few did – so his effort was good. (Jockey) Harry (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) rode him perfectly but was worried about his jarring in the running. He (Mr Malek) is all good now.
"Invincible Tycoon (x I Am Invincible) pulled up really well. He has been racing in such good form in these good races so hopefully, he has another big run left in him.
"We will keep them both ticking over as there's not much more we can do fitness wise with only a few weeks to the race."
The Singapore Gold Cup is the third and final Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series while the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1600m), won by Lim's Kosciuszko, and the QEII Cup were the first and second Legs of the series.
