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The talented four year-old Emerald Hill will look to complete a hat trick of victories in the Progress race over 1000 metres this Friday.
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Unbeaten in two starts at Kranji, the John O'Hara-trained charge has won by combined margin of 11.5 lengths and in quick timings to boot. In both his starts, he dominated the race from the moment he left the gates and won each without any trouble whatsoever.
His real strength seems to be the very quick early pace that he has and in each of his runs, he has had the field fairly well spread out even before he has turned for home.
This is however a very different quality of field that he will take on so far, and while it will make for interesting race reading to see if he is tested early, he is a horse who gallops to the line and against the clock. Whatever goes with him will need to be able to sustain that pace as well.
His main threats will possibly emit from Mighty Creation and Precisely. Mighty Creation is trained by Alvin Tan and has suddenly hit a purple patch, winning his last two races and also sitting on a hat trick.
He has won three races from seven starts already and two of these have been in the past two months. He does not have the same early speed that Emerald Hill has but is more than capable of sitting upon the pace.
He will be racing after a gap of over a month since his last start and provided he weighs in close to his winning weight, is one to keep an eye on.
Precisely from Laurie Laxon's stable has won two of his last three starts and is a winner last time out. He has taken a penalty of seven points for a 2.5 length victory as against a ten point increase that Emerald Hill has been awarded for a 5.5 length victory. Precisely is one with early speed and will possibly attempt to go on early with Emerald Hill.
The duo however, has to be careful that they do not make a speed duel out of it as if they start to tire, Mighty Creation will be closing on them.
BM Win from Sam Chua's stable is another that is coming off a victory and strategically, in all likelihood, will poach the pace.
While this is a race that does seem to have a very progressive sort in Emerald Hill, the form horses in this race also include Humor Town who like Emerald Hill is by the sire Sharp Humor as well. It is hard to oppose Emerald Hill but the combination options for the exotics are plenty and could throw up some interesting permutations.