3 minute read
Three of the runners in the feature sprint tonight are five-time winners already on the poly and that is from just seven or eight starts.
The sixth race on the card is a S$95K Benchmark 89 over 1100m and the return of the cure for any ailment a bettor may have in Dr Grigoros is pleasing.
He has had eight starts on the poly for five wins and is a win or nowhere type, so you know where you stand with the Dr and his diagnosis.
El Milagro and Birthday Gift have also won five races each on the poly with the former also placing twice in seven starts so has not missed paying a dividend on all weather.
Birthday Gift has had eight starts on the poly and also placed twice, with his only miss to date being a last start fourth from an awkward gate.
He has drawn the best of the trio with five poly wins in the bank already and after a 3kg claim from Muhammad Firdaus it all looks good.
Firdaus has ridden the Leslie Khoo trained sprinter once before for a win and it came at 1100m on the poly at 53.5kg and saw him demolish the handy Valevole.
Gate two tonight at 54kg after the claim makes Birthday Gift an appealing present to unwrap for bettors and he is a major win hope.
El Milagro can protect his perfect dividend-paying record on the all weather tonight even from gate seven as he seems to race better when wide and uncluttered up plus can run quick time.
John Powell rides and he has been atop seven times for three wins and two placings.
The last start second to Goal Keeper in a Benchmark 97 reads super as that shot stopper just keeps winning and keeping a clean score sheet.
The effort was herculean and you never can write him off no matter how hard a run he gets it seems but will be giving Birthday Gift a hefty 4kg buffer.
Dr Grigoros is one of two in the field for Mok Zhan Lun, who seems to have a couple of patched up sprinters that have big ability but health issues, so he is doing a fine job.
Kranji on course fans actually like a visit from the Dr as they usually do not pass go and often collect hundreds of him at least.
He is a flying machine that keeps quickening when the rest are melting and after two trials should be ready to hand out some medicine that bettors like tonight.
Sprinters at their first run back from a bleeding attack are actually most dangerous in such condition and Dr Grigoros is a two-from-three in a resumption state.
It is his second bleed so be slightly wary but if you have forgotten how good the Dr is then consider some names he has prescribed defeat too.
He has given 4kg too and thrashed Mr Big and another time easily beaten The Comedian so the calibre of opposition this evening will not scare the gelding.
The other Mok runner is Bombaata and if able to get fully fit is the boilover in the field at 50kg from a good draw second up.
Bettors go wherever Joao goes so with Moreira riding the Michael Freedman trained Masthead you have to take notice.
He rode the four-year-old last start and El Milagro, so it may well in fact not have been his choice with Powell back for that Shane Baertschiger runner.
Masthead went so bad three runs ago that it looked dire but two fourths since have steadied the ship to some extent.
The dual poly winner has gate eight so a conservative ride looks likely as too many negatives if you go forward early and risk being trapped four-wide.
I saw an improved effort last by Bionic Boy in his first start for the Desmond Koh stable and after a 3kg claim tonight he is a rough chance at 57kg.
Dropping back from open class too here is the key plus it is worth pointing out the apprentice Tengku Reheizat rides and he was atop Birthday Gift last start.
Éclair Mystic has not shown anywhere near his best form from Australia since being in Singapore and the former G2 and G3 placed and Listed winner is in his second stable now.
He was in the Pat Shaw yard for three runs and has had one run since resuming for Baertschiger, who has a top chance in El Milagro.
The training premiership looks down to three chances now and the Khoo stable is fourth but five winners from the third placed Laurie Laxon team at the moment and unless he goes on a surge that is a big gap.
Freedman leads by two from Steve Burridge and those stables will be running big numbers from now until the end of the year.
Khoo has Birthday Gift as his main chance and Sky Protégé as the class riser that should get found out at this level even if a four-time poly winner already.
He is coming back from 1700m to the 1100m here so should be burned off early at least.
Never fail to take advice from the Dr and if he is anywhere near his peak then a win would be a formality and the crowd on course will cheer him like a welcome tonic back at the track.
Otherwise the fit and well poly performers Birthday Gift and El Milagro are the all weather diet to get worthwhile results.
Enjoy the feature event.
