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Rough hope Cheetah On Fire will be at his third Singapore Gold Cup raid on Sunday, but it is doubtful many will warm up to the chances of the eight-year-old, even if it is not the most vintage field assembled in the history of the time-honoured race.
At odds of $83, the son of One Cool Cat did garner some support in the 2014 renewal of the 2200m feature, and acquitted himself creditably with a third place to Quechua under New Zealand jockey Lisa Allpress.
Unfortunately, the good runs or placings have been few and far between since. He ran nowhere in Cooptado’s Gold Cup last year, but did bounce back with a flying third to the dead-heating pair of Best Tothelign and Order Of The Sun in the Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes (1700m).
The form has slid down since, and so did his ratings (which climaxed at an all-time high of 92 after that Gold Cup third), but 78 was enough to see him scrape into the 12-horse field of the handicap race.
Marsh is aware the Wilson Racing Stable-owned gelding will be among the long-priced runners on Sunday, but said the old boy has been “working very well” and with a field depleted of his star attractions like Debt Collector, Well Done, Fastnet Dragon and even his own War Affair due to a wind problem, the task has dropped from impossible to “still very tough but you never know”.
“He’s an honest horse and he’s actually been working very good even if he’s not getting any younger,” said the Kiwi handler.
“He galloped this morning with (race-rider) Zuriman (Zulkifli) and I was very happy with that.
“I could have used someone else but the kid gets along with him and I promised him he would get the Gold Cup ride.”
While his formline is rather uninspiring, Marsh said he had excuses on a few occasions.
“He’s a horse that ideally you don’t bring to the outside, but at one of his last runs, he was caught on the inside and couldn’t get out,” he said.
“He’s been a bit stiff but it’s also true he is up against some good horses, but it’s a small field this year, and if he can run in the top three, I would be really rapt. At least I know he can stay.
“It’s been a while since he was last placed (2015 Colonial Chief Stakes), though, but I can’t fault his condition and I'd be happy if I can get a place cheque.”
