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Riding on the solid form they showed on Tuesday night, the Michael Clements yard may well keep the momentum going at Friday’s standalone meeting.
Even though they are represented in only two of the eight races, the in-form outfit have strength in numbers in both races, but more so in Race 7, the $60,000 Class 4 Premier race over 1400m with second-up winner Top Knight and Loving You, both hailing from the Falcon Racing Stable, and Alamak.
The other race they saddle runners is Race 4, the $20,000 Perak Turf Club Trophy, a Maiden race over 1600m on Polytrack, but neither Love Me Tender nor Tiger Force have shown a glimpse of any sort of potential at this stage – all duck’s eggs from their handful of starts, but there is some hope from the camp that Love Me Tender may have a little more scope between the two.
Assistant-trainer Michael ‘Chopsy’ White was indeed a happy man after the yard snared half of the four races set down for decision in the inaugural Premier Gateway International Jockeys Challenge on Tuesday – with Safeer and McGregor. The double saw them tie with trainer Lee Freedman on the Singapore trainer’s premiership on 46 winners, two behind leader Shane Baertschiger, but they stay in third place on a countback for seconds.
White is rather upbeat the Thai-owned three-year-old duo of Top Knight, a son of Zoustar, and Loving You, a US-bred by Twirling Candy as well as Alamak, a four-year-old by Alamosa, can help edge the Zimbabwean-born conditioner closer to the top.
“Top Knight is a progressive horse. We are trying the idea of going further but we found this 1400m race for him first,” said the Australian.
“The penny has not dropped yet, but we think he can progress into a top Class 3 horse one day.
“There is a common plan for Loving You. I think she will be better suited over 1400m.
“She is doing great, even if she may not be in the same class as these guys, but she will appreciate this step-up in distance.”
Jockey Glen Boss rode both at their last start, but will unsurprisingly take the seat on Top Knight on Friday, while Alysha Collett jumps on Loving You as well as Love Me Tender, a four-year-old by Ocean Park.
The Thai owners have been enjoying a good patch of form with the Kiwi lass of late – with Revolution saluting in a nail-biter under her guidance on Tuesday for their second winning combination.
“(Owner) Krit (Chisatteni) is in love with Alysha at the moment!” said White cheekily.
“Bossy is on Top Knight, but to be honest, there isn’t much between those two horses. It’s the Long Course and Loving You is drawn in two, so, she has her chance.
“And don’t forget Alamak. He’s a promising horse and will be better suited over the mile.
“He should still run well tomorrow.”
White is not as optimistic about a similar outcome in the earlier race, but still expects Love Me Tender to make some headway.
“Love Me Tender is a typical Ocean Park. He’s certainly not hopeless,” he said.
“The step-up to the mile will be more suitable for him. Tiger Force has not shown much so far, so it looks tough for him.”
