3 minute read

Just as Phil Connors (Bill Murray) found himself in a time loop at Punxsutawney Pennsylvania in the film Groundhog Day so could bettors at Kranji Singapore tonight.

Flying Fulton on New Years Day in 2012 bolted away with the feature event with Opie Bosson atop and defeated the Pat Shaw trained Lizarre.

The big horse can do it again in Race Nine, the S$200K New Year Cup (1900m), on the polytrack for trainer Mark Walker and the apprentice he must keep atop while winning in Rizuan Shafiq.

The last nine runs on the poly for Flying Fulton have yielded six wins and three seconds.

He is an all weather energizer equine that keeps coming back with the same performance when kept away from the Kranji top guns.

This evening he will have to carry 59kg, which for a near 550kg horse is nothing but giving away 8kg to the Shaw trained Maurice Utrillo and 9kg to every other runner is staggering.

Last year he gave Lizarre 1.5kg and it will be a monumental 9kg in 2013.

Lizarre since that second has only raced six times and been a shade disappointing with no placings even in that time though he did tackle G1 three times and G3 twice.

Flying Fulton since last year when he carried 58kg has raced fourteen times (durability is his stable other nickname!) for four wins and five seconds.

The last start win by Flying Fulton was narrow but rugged in an Open Mile and he defeated a rival again in Dujardin by a lip.

He gave it 7kg and will tonight give it 9kg.

Two starts ago Flying Fulton won the G3 Colonial Chief Stakes (1700m) on the poly and easily defeated a rival again this evening in Goodpack that had 6kg less and third home was Dujardin with 5kg less.

Tonight sees Flying Fulton give Goodpack like Dujardin the full 9kg.

Is there an annoying character in the race tonight much led Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day?

I see Lizarre as the recurring theme from gate four with Davy Bonilla to ride.

Four poly track outings for the gelding have returned a win and two seconds plus a last start fifth beaten three and a half lengths in the G3 Colonial Chief Stakes.

The effort for fifth was uber-brave as he was wide the whole way working and had the audacity to loom into third briefly with 200m to go.

Lizarre had 5kg less than the winner Flying Fulton and drew gate eleven so this evening a 9kg pull and better barrier will be a huge plus.

Make no mistake Lizarre is a threat and since racing at Kranji has carried 50kg (the weight he has here) twice for a second in the G1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup in 2011 to the legend El Dorado and an honest eighth in the 2012 version behind the wonder mare Better Life.

The other lightweight Lizarre has had since racing in Singapore is 51.5kg and he won over 2200m.

Maurice Utrillo gives Team Shaw a two-pronged attack and he is unbeaten at 1900m plus drawn gate two with Greg Cheyne to ride.

Cheyne has been atop twice before and is yet to pay a dividend with fourth the best he has done so will be eager to correct that anomaly.

It is hard to forget that just two runs ago Maurice Utrillo ran on powerfully from last for second in the G1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup to the gifted Better Life.

His record when drawn the ace or deuce barrier is four times for three wins and a fourth so you know at 51kg it is game on.

Dujardin had Flying Fulton on toast last start at the 200m but like the movie the ending is always the same as the big horse dug deep and stuck out his melon to prevail.

Laurie Laxon, who apparently is still celebrating his last race victory to claim the training premiership for 2012, will believe Dujardin can bring down to earth Flying Fulton tonight.

Benny Woodworth rides again and will know you need to get at least a neck ahead to prevent the inevitable fight back by the Walker tough guy.

Goodpack likes to lead or sit close and will be doing so from the ace plus the Leslie Khoo prepared up and comer has atop Manoel Nunes, another proud Brazilian rider.

Nunes may sound like it is the great name of a footballer and when it comes to Brazil that is a religion not a sport but Manoel has achieved an awesome international riding record.

He is a winner and once you get Joao Moreira, Ivaldo Santana and Nunes plying their trade the Brazilian flag will be flying all the time at Kranji.

Brazil have some monster years ahead with the two biggest sporting events on the planet namely the World Cup of Football in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016.

In the movie Groundhog Day we see Phil Connors knock out Ned Ryerson so that could well see a repeat with Flying Fulton and Lizarre.

However the value will be Lizarre and do not underestimate Ned the Head Ryerson this evening going ‘bing’ over the closing stages.

His stablemate Maurice Utrillo is definitely the other serious contender and Team Shaw will be plotting the downfall of Flying Fulton.

Goodpack and Dujardin the other cast names worth factoring in as they are both getting huge relief from Flying Fulton.

Enjoy the start to 2013.