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Trainer Stephen Gray wants more of such “hot races” like this Friday’s $85,000 Novice race over 1200m.
Well known for calling a spade a spade, the Kiwi handler was in this particular case highly appreciative of such contests that garner quality fields and have lucrative purses up for grabs – especially when he has a vested interest in the race, Hyde Park.
Gray conceded that the Darci Brahma four-year-old will be crossing swords with some exciting up-and-comers in the 12-horse field, mainly the three-year-olds, but it was well worth “having a crack”.
To give a better idea of the depth, six of the runners are last-start winners, including Hyde Park himself. They are the other four-year-old, the consistent Saimee Jumaat-trained Boy Wonder, and four gun youngsters who have been set on a pathway to the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, which hits the ground running with the first Leg, the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) on March 30 – Cliff Brown’s much-vaunted Zac Kasa, the Michael Clements pair of Imperium and Loving You, and Leslie Khoo’s Lord O’Reilly.
“It’s a bloody hot race that Novice race, it’s sizzling-hot. A lot of them are touted as the next big thing,” said Gray.
“This is what you want to see; the Club has put in money for 3YOs and 4YOs, and it’s for us to have a crack at it.
“Whether my horse (Hyde Park) is good enough, we’ll know more after the race. If they’re no good, they won’t have to run again in such races, at least we know where we stand.”
With last-start winning partner Glen Boss electing for Loving You, Gray has booked Nooresh Juglall on Hyde Park who is raced by one of his staunchest supporters, Paul Hickman of St George Stable.
“The big swaying thing about such races is they don’t get points, they are not crucified,” said Gray.
“I’m all for that and that’s why I will support such races instead of running in a Class 4 Non Premier race worth only $45,000. It’s all very positive.”
Gray reported that Hyde Park has done everything asked of him since his impressive first-up four-length win in an Open Maiden over 1000m on March 4, almost one year after his unplaced run at debut in April, 2017.
‘We gave him a spell up in Malaysia after his first run. He wasn’t right,” he said.
“But he’s come back a much improved horse and I hope he keeps going in the right direction, even if he will face a stiffer task this time round.
“He’s drawn a good gate (2) which will certainly help his cause as well. Whether he’ll make the grade to the 4YO series, we’ll see.”
The Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge is made up of three Legs, beginning with the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1400m) on June 10, followed by the Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) on June 24 and the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (1800m) on July 15.