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Already booked aboard Golazo, jockey Olivier Placais had to make a tough decision when told stablemate Star Jack would also be lining up in the $100,000 Kranji Stakes B race over 2000m this Friday.
Proven stayer Golazo (five wins including three over 1800m) might be more highly-rated on 82 points, standing tall over Star Jack – only one win over 1800m in four starts - by 16 points, but Placais held both Hideyuki Takaoka runners in high esteem.
After thinking long and hard, he went with Star Jump - and it had nothing to do with the light weight of 53.5kgs. Placais who can ride down to such levels, had no idea of the handicaps.
It was not the Japanese handler either who had the last say in that matter. With the perfect chemistry that has bonded the pair – capped by a Singapore Derby win with Jupiter Gold last Sunday week – in recent months, a growing mutual respect has led the way to a certain degree of laissez-faire for the Frenchman.
Though he is not Takaoka’s stable jockey, Placais gets first refusal on certain rides and in that particular instance, he pulled his own rein.
“Star Jack was supposed to run in a Class 3 race over 1600m, but the race was cancelled,” said Placais of the four-year-old son of Japan Cup hero Jungle Pocket.
“I had already been booked to ride Golazo in the Kranji Stakes B race this Friday, but when Mr Takaoka told me he would run Star Jack in the same race, I was in a dilemma.
“I didn’t even know what his weight would be. To me, Star Jack is a progressive sort who will be even better next year - I thought it would be good to stick with him from a future perspective.
“He won a nice race at his last start (Kranji Stakes C race over 1800m) even if it was a very average field, but he has really improved from that run.
“He has run over 2000m and 2400m in Japan. I don’t think the Gold Cup is for him this year, as Takaoka already has Makanani and Golazo and he’s much lower-rated, but maybe next year.”
To be run on November 11, the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup is this year dropped from 2200m to 2000m. The time-honoured race was captured four times by Takaoka with El Dorado (2008, 2009 and 2011) and Better Life (2012).
Placais said Golazo - who was in the end given to Australian jockey Daniel Moor - would not have been a bad ride at all had he stuck with the Japanese-bred five-year-old by Screen Hero, but unfortunately, he cannot split himself in two.
“Golazo is going for the Gold Cup this year. Mr Takaoka has to stick to one rider - and I believe Daniel will ride him this Friday - and as much as I would like to ride him, I cannot ride them all,” he said.
“He can pull a lot in his races and there is nothing you can do. He can be unpredictable and erratic; he’s the one who decides whether he will run or not.
“Star Jack is a more straightforward horse. He has trained on since his last win and even if he is up against better horses, I give him a good chance with the light weight.”
The other horse Placais considers as a second live chance at the standalone meeting on Friday is the Lee Freedman-trained Foresto in the $85,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1400m.
The Excelebration three-year-old is on the quick back-up following his fourth place to Kranji Gold in the Restricted Maiden race over 1600m on Sunday. Placais will be the seventh jockey to try and shed the Thai-owned gelding’s maiden status.
Foresto, who will be at his 14th start, actually crossed the line first at his second-last start on June 29, but the Restricted Maiden race over 1400m was declared void after a false start.
“I have a nice book of seven rides this week, but I think Star Jack and Foresto are my two main chances,” said Placais who has sky-rocketed through the Singapore jockey’s leaderboard in the last four weeks to sit on third place on 37 winners, nine off the leader Vlad Duric.
“Foresto has been running well, but his wide gate (11) makes it a bit tricky this time. If I can get a good run with cover, I think he should be thereabouts.”
