3 minute read

He may not have won a race for a year but even Jack Sparrow could see everything points to the plundering of riches by Red Beard today.

Corey Brown, who is in rampaging form, will ride the Shane Baertschiger prepared Red Beard in the feature ninth event on the card.

The S$125K Kranji Stakes A over 1400m on the short course D turf track looks the race for Red Beard’s taking at 55kg.

The one time very promising younger galloper Red Beard last scored this time a year ago at 1400m on the turf and beat a tidy line up too.

He won six of his first eight starts for then trainer Bruce Marsh and placed in the other two outings and loved a hot pace to come sailing over the top of them the run home.

Health issues have troubled Red Beard and he has had just fourteen starts overall but his resumption effort for the now Baertschiger stable last month was an eyepatch-catcher.

The solidly built five-year-old under 55.5kg from barrier twelve finished a gutsy fourth in a fast run 1200m, after settling down wide in the rear.

His ability to box on regardless was in full display, where the electric pace was shared by City Lad (runner up) and El Milagro (finished third) and the latter since was caught on the line last week at G2 by Speedy Cat.

It was a super return to the track and augurs well that a return to the high seas of success are close at hand.

Red Beard in a second up state has won three of four starts and is the same seventy-five per cent strike rate at 1400m.

All his wins have come on the turf and the Brown and Baertschiger pairing is a two-from-five so far and looking to capture more booty.

Before he resumed for his new stable Red Beard ran a slashing trial second on the poly behind Hammer Down (ironically a Bruce Marsh trained runner), with Tropaios third and Cash Luck fourth.

Tropaios won last week like a serious Derby contender (Brown rode and was impressed) and Cash Luck ran a blinder for fourth resuming for a new stable at G2, so the trial form is relevant for bettors to trust and profit from too.

The set weights conditions of the feature today see some horses well in and others having a near insurmountable impost such as The Comedian under 58kg.

He is a big horse but apart from winning his Singapore debut under 58kg has never carried more than 55kg to victory.

The 6kg pull that Running Tall gets from The Comedian makes him a chance from gate two and Danny Beasley will ride for the Pat Shaw stable.

If you are wondering why first choice Barend Vorster is not atop it is because he is sticking with the in form stablemate Martincho Cat that has won four of six starts this year.

Running Tall will give bettors a run for their money and Martincho Cat from gate is likely to sit poised then pounce.

To show you just how well Martincho Cat is racing at the moment last start he achieved a first since coming to Singapore and that is winning on the turf.

It should however be noted that last start win saw Running Tall finish second with 1kg more on his back than Martincho Cat and today he will receive 3kg for an all up weight swing of 4kg.

What Now for the Cliff Brown stable has not won since November last year and on the nose bettors are just that about the talented galloper at the moment.

They are thinking now what about What Now each time they back him to win.

One more for the road today as at 55kg he is well in for a G2 winner that is a 1400m and turf specialist.

Alan Munro is given another chance on the gelding after one ride for a last home, so he cannot do any worse.

I felt the last start third under 58kg in an Open Benchmark 97 by What Now was rather good.

After sitting deep then being let stride into contention halfway up the run home he tried hard and the winner carried 8kg less.

Two starts ago at G3 saw What Now run fourth at a mile under 56.5kg and his surge was mistimed a tad, with it being a sharp burst but not a long one.

It is almost a given if you take on What Now here he will bury them and agitate you even more!

There looks to be readymade pacemakers in the field with Keep Away and Arowana Dot Com so hard to see a dawdle ensuing but one other name that can race in or near the action is Meteor Mike from gate four.

Meteor Mike had a health issue last time he raced but has been given an all clear and is three-time winner at 1400m and all his six wins have come on the turf.

Two starts ago he was fourth in the G1 Lion City Cup (1200m) behind Super Easy, Mr Big and Speedy Cat, which make up an impressive trio to beat you home.

No concerns if the turf is yielding and Jose Verenzuela has won twice and placed once in six times atop the David Hill prepared sprinter/miler.

Red Beard can improve his awesome strike rate second up and at 1400m to a staggering eighty per cent today and chop his rivals down at Kranji with a winning cutlass.

The weights do highlight that What Now and Running Tall are worthy runners to take on board your multiples ship.

Meteor Mike is the overs chance.

Enjoy the feature event battle.