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Top jockey Michael Rodd is convinced Gilt Complex will be better suited in Dubai than Debt Collector.
Besides being well known as an astute judge, the Australian rider would be the best person to make such a call. He knows both horses.
Rodd was Debt Collector’s regular partner, including riding him in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m) last year. He was not Gilt Complex’s jockey right through, but he got on when it mattered; he steered him to that nail-biting win in the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) in November, not to mention he won two previous races with him before.
Debt Collector took all before him on his way to clinching the Singapore Horse of the Year title in 2016, an achievement which was, however, not quite mirrored by his below-par performances the following year.
In eight starts, the son of Thorn Park saluted only once. Trainer Cliff Brown and connections still pressed on with their Dubai plans in March, but as gallant as he was against the stellar line-up of international horses, he could not quite make his presence felt.
Rodd rode him off the pace as is his customary pattern, but the gelding struggled to issue a challenge to finish around 10 lengths off the Japanese winner Vivlos.
Debt Collector is currently spelling in Australia, but another star has risen through the Brown ranks in the meantime, albeit less spectacularly – Gilt Complex.
The 2017 Raffles Cup-Singapore Gold Cup double winner is slated to soon fly to Meydan where connections intend to run him in the Dubai World Cup Carnival races. Last year, Elite Excalibur (now with Brown but then prepared by Steven Burridge) was the sole Singapore runner who charted that DWCC path, but came back empty-handed in five runs (Rodd was aboard twice).
“I think Gilt Complex will be competitive in Dubai as he is more of an on-the-pace type of horse,” said Rodd.
“In Dubai, they can dawdle and wind up inside the last 800m, which is against a horse like Debt Collector as he gets back. He is dictated by the pace, and things can go against him if the clip is not fast.
“On the other hand, Gilt Complex can bounce out and adapt to the pace. If it’s a staying test, you can be sure he will be there if the pace comes on at the 800m and he will tack on.
“I’ll leave it to Cliff which race he will go for, but I’m quite confident he will measure up in the lead-up races. Whether he is good enough to make it for the Dubai World Cup races, we’ll have to see how he goes first.”
Just like Stephen Gray, who is testing the Dubai waters by running Bahana and Newlands in the lead-up races to the Dubai World Cup night on March 31, Brown is not setting the bar high for Gilt Complex.
“He is booked to fly out on January 27 and we are looking at the same race as Bahana and Newlands, a 2000m race on February 8,” said the Australian mentor.
“If he goes well, then we’ll look for another race for him. One race at a time; if he is good enough, then we can talk about the big Dubai World Cup meeting.”
For now, the first guide for Brown and Rodd will come from his comeback race at Kranji since his Singapore Gold Cup triumph. The Graham Mackie-owned gelding runs this Friday in the $125,000 Kranji Stakes A Division 1 race over 1400m, carrying the top impost of 59.5kgs and will have Rodd in the irons.
“Gilt Complex is going good but I think he may still need the run tomorrow,” said Rodd.
“He trialled well last Thursday (last to Grand Cross). His fitness level is not 100% but he will definitely come on from that first run.
“He also has a very good first-up record. The distance may not be his best trip but he has that stamina that can take him a long way.
“I still expect him to run well as he’s such a high quality horse.”