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Assistant-trainer Michael White has a simple explanation for rising star Countofmontecristo’s will to win even when up in class – practice makes perfect.
“He’s top class. He thrives on racing; the more he races, the more he shows,” said White.
Stepping back up to the distance the Echoes Of Heaven four-year-old met with his only defeat in eight starts was also brushed off by Michael Clements’ right-hand man. Countofmontecristo is running in the $700,000 Group 1 Panasonic Kranji Mile (1600m) on Sunday.
“When he ran in the Singapore Guineas, he was nowhere near as good as he is now,” he added.
“Getting back to the mile is the last of our concern. On pedigree, it would not give us much insight as the sire won over the mile, but in lesser grade.
“We are going with what we saw on the tracks and we have absolutely no worries he will run a stronger mile this time around.
“We were very happy with his gallop last Thursday and he will have another gallop tomorrow (Wednesday).”
Glen Boss will return on top of Countofmontecristo after missing out the winning ride in the Group 3 Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m) on September 10, when Alan Munro filled in for the day.
Whether the Joe Giovanni-owned gelding goes the whole hog through the Singapore Triple Crown series to the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) will depend on his performance in each Leg, said White, even if the clean sweep bid is not the be-all and end-all to the Clements yard.
“We’ll see how he pulls up after the Mile, but we would think he would go for the Raffles Cup (1800m on October 22),” he said.
“We’re not so sure about the Gold Cup, but I would say it’s highly unlikely he would.”
Clements will also saddle a newcomer to his yard, the formerly Ricardo Le Grange-trained Song To The Moon in the Kranji Mile, but in his case the race is being used more as a stepping stone.
“There was an OB97 race over 2000m race that was supposed to be run on Sunday but it was deleted,” said White.
“We didn’t have any other option than to run Song To The Moon in the Kranji Mile. It’s not a suitable race for him as it’s a Weight-for-Age race and its over 1600m which is too short, but we have to find something ahead of the El Dorado Classic and the Gold Cup.
“Besides, half a dozen of the horses in the Kranji Mile are also in a similar situation as Song To The Moon.
“He is a nice staying horse. It’s his first run for us and his form is good, we haven’t changed anything and we’ll see how he goes.”
Song To The Moon will be ridden by jockey Derreck David in the Panasonic Kranji Mile.
The Group 3 El Dorado Classic (2200m) is the traditional lead-up race to the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) on November 12.
