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Gilt Complex has secured an upset win in the 2017 Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) at Kranji on Sunday.
One of the outsiders of the race, Gilt Complex came into the race off two modest runs in the Group 3 Committee’s Prize and Group 1 Kranji Mile.
Settling up on the speed for much of the race in second, the Cliff Brown-trained runner took over proceedings at the 200m and never looked like getting run down over the concluding stages.
Gilt Complex, who had not won since claiming a Kranji Stakes C back in March claimed a one and three quarter length win over Elite Excalibur in second with Lim’s Cruiser third and Countofmontecristo fourth.
The six-year-old gelding ran to a clear new career peak rating of 110, some three pounds below that of 2016 winner Debt Collector.
Gilt Complex is the lowest rated winner of the race since Super Ninetyseven in 2013 who also ran to 110.
The son of Gold Centre will now progress to the Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) and if he can bring this sort of form with him he certainly looms as some sort of chance having won over the distance previously.
Of the beaten runners Elite Excalibur was good in second, running his highest rating since the Patron’s Bowl earlier in the year with Lim’s Cruiser in third running a similar rating to his previous two runs this campaign.
The well favoured Countofmontecristo had every opportunity in fourth but seemingly didn’t see out the 1800m with Debt Collector and Jupiter Gold unable to make ground from back in the field off a modest tempo.
Earlier in the programme another outsider Secret Win claimed his second victory in a row when taking out the Group 3 El Dorado Classic (2200m).
Settling well back in the field for much of the race, the five-year-old gelding was able to run on strongly and claim a half a length win over Chairman in second with Blue Swede third.
In what was his third career win from 15 starts, Secret Win ran to a clear new career peak rating with just the 50kg.
Coming on the back of a class 4 victory, Super Win certainly appears to have found some form and is one to follow going forward.
The Lee Freedman-trained Chairman who was also favourite ran his highest rating since coming to Singapore in second placing, looking the clear winner for much of the straight until Secret Win grabbed him over the final couple of strides.
Continues to build a strong career record however and is also worth following going forward.
Friday night saw Nova Swiss returned to form with a strong win in the Kranji Stakes A over Distinctive Darci in second with Spanish Bay third.
Having not been seen since running second to Countofmontecristo back in August, Nova Swiss settled on the speed and proved way to good for his rivals.
Nova Swiss who has now won eight of his 17 career starts, ran his highest rating since running second to Infantry in the Group 2 Merlion Trophy back in March.
Despite there being no obvious target for the four-year-old sprinter, Nova Swiss will be very competitive wherever he next steps out.
Distinctive Darci in second is also worth following out of the race despite running below his previous effort in a Benchmark 97.
Building an impressive career record, the Mark Walker-trained runner let down strongly late but was no match for Nova Swiss.