3 minute read
The master of poly track riding Jose Verenzuela is the name that will provide bettors tonight an important punting prompt in the feature sprint at Kranji.
The mercurial Verenzuela in Race Eight has a key connection towards the major chances tonight either through being aboard or having an unbeaten association.
In a weekend where they race just this evening at Kranji, it is a last chance to fill up the fighting fund for what promises to be a devastating double header next Friday then Sunday.
The Golden Horseshoe for juveniles and Singapore Guineas for three-year-olds next Friday evening is an entrée to the G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup and G1 Krisflyer International Sprint on Sunday.
Tonight the eighth race on the all poly card is the S$75K Kranji Stakes C over 1200m and the runners drawn gates one and two, namely Cash Dot Com and Tropical Forest, are your money makers.
Cash Dot Com for the Desmond Koh stable will be ridden by Verenzuela and no one gets them out of the gates better than he does.
Two rides atop the four-year-old for him have returned an easy win and a game second, with the success from gate one and the brave runner up effort from gate two.
Verenzuela won on Cash Dot Com this time almost last year on the poly when demolishing Lockdown by three lengths, with an all the way win.
He rode it at the next start for a game second to the talented Argy Bargy, also on the poly over 1200m, and went down half a length under 54kg.
Significantly a key rival again tonight in Macau finished fourth in the race at the same weight and this evening has 3kg more to carry.
It is not hard to like the recent efforts of Cash Dot Com behind the winning names of Honest Truth and My Son from wide draws.
Two starts ago he ran an uber-brave fifth under 55.5kg for an apprentice, when he was in lane six basically throughout improving from the back and only got beaten a couple of lengths.
Once again we see a reliable form thread link in Macau, which beat him home by finishing second and was just over a length ahead with half a kilo more on his back.
He had a soft run so with 3kg more to carry tonight it is no wonder the also better-drawn Cash Dot Com is fancied more.
Last start they both ran in the same race too, with cash Dot Com carrying 4.5kg less with an apprentice atop again, and beating home Macau by one spot and just about one length.
Macau drew wide and went a good race but peaked on his finishing surge late.
The vital senior riding change tonight for Cash Dot Com along with a weight rise is a win-win for mine whatever way you look at it.
Verenzuela gets aboard Cash Dot Com that rises 2.5kg on last start, which is very acceptable, and Opie Bosson is once again aboard Macau and it goes up 1kg.
All the win and place form of Cash Dot Com is on the poly, so he is in the right race with the right rider atop here.
Tropical Forest from gate two is a serious chance even at 58kg and will be right in this from the outset if rider Oscar Chavez can get the grey five-year-old to leave the gates hard.
The gelding trained by Zhan Lun Mok has won all his four races on the poly and notably Verenzuela is unbeaten in two rides atop and importantly he led or forced the pace each time.
The wins came from gate one and five, so no one gets them hitting the ground and running better than the experienced jockey.
He reads a race and start better than most and knows when to open the throttle but also squeeze the breather button.
I would have Tropical Forest on top had he been aboard it but will lean towards Cash Dot Com carrying 3kg less.
The poly performers in Squall Line (3 wins) and Macau (4 wins) are the next best pair of chances, with Joao Moreira on the former.
Squall Line is a rarity in Singapore in that Moreira has been aboard five times for no wins, which is almost the exception to a wagering rule at Kranji.
He has been placed three times though and will get the now Brian Dean trained sprinter sitting wide but on the steel and going forward all the time.
Trudeau impressed with his last start easy win on the poly and is a big sprinter that can cope with the extra 3.5kg here.
Barend Vorster rode for the first time last start and like many sprinters it ran rather well for him, so no surprise he remains aboard plus gate three here looks a super draw.
I cannot see the Forest for the Cash-trees tonight and the critical detail is what Jose Verenzuela is on, as they are drawn right beside each other.
Enjoy the feature race.
