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Trainer Cliff Brown has two impressive last-start winners in Deimos and the resuming Could Be Pearls taking to the track this Friday, but the low-key handler is as usual not overselling the two three-year-olds’ chances.
Heading out the first will be Deimos in Race 5 in the $75,000 Graduation race over 1200m. At his last start on January 30, the son of Showcasing was ahead of only two runners at the 400m mark of a Class 4 race over 1200m before he shot through to the top of the queue in the blink of an eye once jockey Vlad Duric peeled him towards the outside.
Could Be Pearls has not raced since his only win recorded at his third start in a Restricted Maiden race over 1400m on November 11. The Alamosa gelding was still very unpolished in his action but his raw ability still saw him stamp his authority under Michael Rodd in the end.
He is making his racing comeback in the Lucky Last, the $60,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1200m.
Brown said both gallopers have come along since their last wins, but would prefer to see how they measure up before reassessing them.
“Both horses are very well but they’re also both running against very strong fields,” said the Australian conditioner.
“Could Be Pearls went for a break after his last win. He’s still a big baby, but I expect to see some improvement in him this year. He seems to have matured during the break.
“He’s had a couple of barrier trials and seems to settle better. Let’s see how he finishes off his race tomorrow.
“As for Deimos, he won by coming from well off the pace, but my concern is he didn’t beat a lot in that race. He’s also running in a very good race tomorrow.
“Countofmontecristo is a very good horse. Sir Isaac got beat by him last time, and I think he’ll be very hard to beat again.
“But look, Deimos has trained and Could Be Pearls is also in a good shape. There’s still a long way to go before we talk about the 3YO series for both of them, but if they keep going well, we could be looking at it.”
Brown snared the last two Legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge with Debt Collector last year, namely, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) and the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m).
Rodd, who could not make the weight at Deimos’ last win on Fortune Bowl day, is back in the saddle this Friday while he will have to forego the ride aboard Could Be Pearls given the 53kgs he has been allotted.
Shafiq Rizuan is the one who has been booked to ride Could Be Pearls, who races in the now famous pink and white colours of Barree Stable, the owners of Debt Collector.
Both runners have drawn moderately with Deimos in barrier No 5 while Could Be Pearls is drawn a little wider in barrier No 6.