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Trainer Patrick Shaw is hoping a quieter racing style may be the spark to reignite the much-hyped Eclair Choice in the $125,000 Landex Cup (1200m) on Sunday.
A dual Group 2 winner in Australia where he was trained by top Adelaide trainer Phil Stokes for Macau owner Thomas Li, Eclair Choice came with top billing when he was imported to Singapore, especially after he convincingly won two barrier trials in August.
Unfortunately for his connections, his three Kranji runs, especially the latest one last Friday, have been below expectations.
Such was the confidence in the California Dane five-year-old that he was sent out as the favourite when first-up in a feature race, the Group 3 Garden City Trophy (1200m) on August 21. But he could only manage a fourth place to stablemate Rafaello after being ridden off the speed, though most thought it was not a bad way to start his Singapore career.
Second-up, he again raced in a feature, the Group 3 Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m), but was this time ridden from the front. He showed plenty of toe in the early stages, but compounded to run fifth to Debt Collector.
Shaw decided to send his charge back to the barrier trials, and after he duly won two from two again, hopes were revived in the Shaw camp. But they came crashing down again after his dismal run as the $11 favourite in the Kranji Stakes A race over 1100m last Friday.
After again showing the way, Eclair Choice emptied out quickly in the home straight to run last to Olympic Anthem.
Shaw was down but not out. The horseman does not believe ability can just disappear, it’s just hidden somewhere and it’s just a matter of tweaking a few things around to unlock it.
“He was very disappointing at his last race. Maybe the 1100m was too sharp for him,” said the South African mentor, who has recently returned to work following a successful surgery.
“I’ve got Corey Brown to ride him this time because (regular partner) Barend Vorster was committed to another horse (Wimbledon).
“I spoke to Corey on Monday and he was happy to ride him. I told him to just ride him off the pace, as that’s the way he was ridden in Australia, give him a bit of a sit.
“I don’t think he’s a jump-and-sprint type of horse. Corey will ride him in trackwork tomorrow and will have a better feel of the horse.”
Shaw said he had no idea if the change of tactics would pay off. He said that the gelding’s inability to reproduce his barrier trial form, let alone his Australian form, which saw him win six races including the Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) and the Group 2 Tab.com.au Stakes (1200m) at last year’s Spring Carnival, was too perplexing for him to at this stage set his hopes too high.
“After he won his trials, I really thought he would win a good race, but he was disappointing,” said Shaw.
“When Barend started to hunt him up, you could tell he was not responding, his ears went back. That’s why I think he’s a horse who should just come off the pace and come into the race.”
Shaw is on the other hand more bullish about his first Landex Cup runner, Rafaello, who ran third to stablemate Royal Ruler at his last start in a BM97 race over 1100m on September 30.
“The 1200m will be better for Rafaello. I’m very happy with his condition,” he said.
“He trialled well last week (October 13 when second to Satellite Man) and I expect him to run well on Sunday.”
To be ridden by regular partner Nooresh Juglall, the Oratorio four-year-old will be bidding for an eighth win at only his 19th start for South African owner Fred Crabbia.