3 minute read
Trainer Theo Kieser is pinning his hopes on two of his better 2012 performers to finally give his stable that much-needed kickstart to the season this weekend.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Winless in nine meetings throughout the month of January, the South African handler saddles a team of four runners comprising Super Spirit on Friday and Yin Xin on Sunday, who will both be at their first outing this year. Qualitase (Friday) and Super Spur (Sunday) have already raced this year and will be his two other runners.
With four wins on board last year, Yin Xin, along with Goal Keeper and Dragon Spirit, contributed to almost half of Kieser’s haul of 29 winners (matching his score at his sophomore year in 2011) last year. The Quorum five-year-old is resuming from a two-month let-up in Sunday’s $125,000 Open race over 1200m on the Long Course.
Kieser, whose last win came on December 7, 2012 with Wairakei, is hoping for a good first-up run from both gallopers.
“Yin Xin had a few feet problems and had to be rested. It was nothing too serious, just some bruised feet,” said Kieser, who is with Michael Clements, the only remaining two of the 26 trainers not to have opened their account this year.
“He has been coming along well during his road to recovery. He won his two barrier trials and has given every indication he is a lot better now.
"Freddy (Muhd Firdaus) will ride him as he was given 59kg. Danny (Beasley) was committed to another horse as well.”
Kieser has even entered the Tarsus Stable-owned gelding as a double nomination for the Dubai riches on March 30 – the US$ 2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) and the US$ 1 million Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m).
“They are both very prestigious races. All will depend on how he goes here first before we make any decisions,” said Kieser who has also entered Goal Keeper for the same races at this first free round of nominations.
Though Super Spirit, who will run in the $55,000 Class 4 race over 1000m on Friday night, has scored at the last two of his four starts, both over 1000m, Kieser is more guarded about any more ambitious prospects for the Flying Pegasus three-year-old.
“Super Spirit is not an easy horse to train, but we’ve managed to get him to be more cool, calm and collected in his work now,” he said.
“He was up in weight at his last start and was probably only 80% fit. He just got to the line on that day and I think he’s a lot fitter this time.
“We’ll take him step by step and see how he pulls up before deciding if he is a candidate for the
Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.”Kieser is currently attending the Karaka Yearling Sales in a bid to boost his stock, which has been undergoing a major overhaul, which he said was the main factor behind his clean scoresheet this term.
“We’ve only had a few runners this year. That’s because I had 17 two-year-olds who joined me last year and I had to get rid of many horses,” said Kieser.
“That is why we haven’t had many runners so far. None of the two-year-olds have trialled yet, and I’m certainly not rushing them.
“I will see how they go and hopefully I can have a good one for the two-year-old series.”
Kieser has built himself a solid reputation as a conditioner of juveniles over the last two years, having being responsible for the likes of Kaiser, Griffin, Zeus Thunder and Yin Jie, who have all recorded wins in the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe two-year-old series launched in 2011.
The New Zealand trip certainly forms an integral part of his youth policy, though Kieser said he has not released the purse strings yet.
“I haven’t bought anything yet. The prices were too high at the first two days during the Premier Yearling Sale,” said Kieser.
“I’m waiting for the Select Yearling Sale to start tomorrow (Wednesday). I will be there till next week and hopefully I can get a few nice ones.
“I will of course keep an eye on what’s happening back home while I’m away. With a bit of luck, I hope I can get off the mark.”