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Trainer Lee Freedman is confident promising galloper Curvature can put in another good performance in the $100,000 Kranji Stakes B race (1400m) on Friday night, but remained rather cautious as to any loftier target ahead.
Being a four-year-old, the son of Snitzel who won the last three of his four Kranji starts over distances between 1200m and 1400m, would be a natural pick for the Freedman yard in the upcoming $500,000 Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1400m), the first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, which will be run on June 10.
While Freedman confirmed that the feature race has been pencilled in as a target for the China Horse Club-owned galloper, he was not making it the be-all and end-all for him.
“The horse is still in great nick and I think he should run very well again on Friday night,” said the Australian handler.
“Whether he goes for the Stewards’ Cup in five weeks’ time, we’ll see. The race has actually come to the end of his prep.
“In any jurisdiction, horses keep rising in grade and we need to reassess which races to race them in. At this stage, this horse has done well with three wins in a row, but he will also find the competition tougher.
“We’ll also have to see how he pulls up from Friday’s run first. He may run again or he may not run again, in which case I’ll just keep him ticking over till the Stewards’ Cup.”
When probed if Curvature’s target from a four-year-old perspective would be confined to just the Stewards’ Cup, Freedman remained open-minded. The Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge moves on to the Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) on June 24 and the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (1800m) on July 15.
“He’s never run beyond 1400m and I’m leaning more towards the 1400m Leg now,” he said.
“I wouldn’t be game enough to say he can get the mile, but who’s to say he cannot get it either.”
Kiwi jockey Craig Grylls, who has ridden Curvature at all his four Kranji starts, will again be aboard on Friday.
Unlike his last start when he drew wide but still exploded out of the machines to go and lead all the way, Curvature has this time drawn a lower alley in four.
Freedman saddles two other runners in the race, Aotearoa and Kings Ryker. The former is an outside chance while Kings Ryker tends to mix his form.