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Trainer Stephen Gray hopes that the famous Australian blue and white crossed-sashed colours of electronics retailing tycoon Gerry Harvey can get to fly high with Libeccio on Sunday.
The Conatus four-year-old will be at his third Singapore run, with his Kiwi handler counting on a better run in the Initiation race over 1200m than at his last start when a distant fourth to Olympian Eager in another Initiation race, but over 1000m on Polytrack on November 27.
Gray was a lot happier with his debut run when he led in a similar Initiation race but over 1100m six weeks earlier, only to be rolled late by the favourite Cavatina to finish a close fourth, just a little over a length astern.
Gray has taken the blinkers off in a bid to reproduce a performance which will be more in line with that debut run than that last run, which he called “disappointing” – at least to give something to cheer about to both him and Harvey, who is also known as a leading breeder and the owner of Magic Millions.
“He showed natural speed at his barrier trials and I thought I’d try him on Polytrack first,” said Gray.
“He went okay at his first run without being startling, but he probably needed the run as he had not raced for a year. He had a knee chip injury in Australia before they sent him up here.
“But he was a bit disappointing at his second run to be honest. I’m taking the blinkers off this time and we’ll see how he goes.
“He trialled well without the blinkers last week. Amirul (Ismadi) rode him in that trial, but it’s Vlad Duric who rides him on Sunday.”
After settling in midfield three wide for Gray’s apprentice jockey, Libeccio just tagged along in that spot only to improve ever so slightly late to run fifth, in a bunched-up group, only less than 1 ½ lengths off the winner Catch Me Great (Saifudin Ismail).
Gray said the chestnut, who was prepared by Caulfield trainer Robert Smerdon in Melbourne and counted three placings from four runs, all on rain-affected tracks, was the first horse he trains for Harvey, and was looking forward to more on their way.
“I’ve known Gerry for a long time. We buy horses from him and it’d be nice to get a win back for him,” said last year’s Singapore Gold Cup-winning trainer (Bahana) who has, however, yet to open his 2017 account in four meetings.
“He’s had a few horses here with Cliff Brown and Michael Freedman. I hope he sends a few more to us.”