It was daylight between Celavi and her nine rivals throughout the market evolution of Sunday's $85,000 Class 2 race over 1100m, and that's exactly how they also finished down at the track.
Race-leader Excelling (Matthew Kellady) was about the only one who tried to take the race up to the $9 favourite when he held the inside run from Michael Clements' speedy mare, but from the way the latter was cantering from a long way out, it was clearly a matter of time before last year's Merlion Trophy winner was given short shrift.
Upon straightening, jockey Louis-Philippe Beuzelin just gave one quick look on his inside as he summarily cleared the quick-fading Excelling before ploughing that lone trail to the wire.
The Fighting Sun five-year-old vaulted away with every stride, obliterating her rivals with a touch of arrogance that had not been seen for a while at Kranji. Four lengths was the official beaten margin, but it could have easily been a real hiding had Beuzelin not lifted his foot off the pedal some strides before the winning post.
The battle for the minors was won by the unfancied Mark Walker pair of Super Invincible (Iskandar Rosman) and Sacred Gift (Hakim Kamaruddin), who were split three-quarter length apart in that order. The Kiwi trainer's other two runners I Am Sacred (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) and Sacred Rebel (Shafiq Rizuan) finished unplaced, albeit not outclassed.
Just like Walker, Clements saddled four runners - for eight of the 10 berths - with Quarter Back (Juan Paul van der Merwe) performing the best from his remaining squad that was also made up of Sincerely (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) and Safeer (Shafrizal Saleh). Tailing off early and looking uncomfortable on the all-weather, Quarter Back, however, steamed home late for fourth place another one and one quarter lengths away.
As expected, Celavi teased the course record with a sizzling 1min 4.02secs, only 0.37 second outside Elliot Ness's mark.
"Louis, who couldn't ride her at her last two wins, said she has really improved. She's taken the next step and I was really pleased with the way she ran and obviously, won the race," said Clements.
"I was happy how she settled outside the leader, and how she responded and found the line. We haven't done a lot with her on the track since her trial, just an easy gallop during the week.
"We'll see how things go and look for another similar Polytrack race for her. The Merlion Trophy is obviously her main target at the end of the year."
The Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m) and Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) are the only sprint features left standing on the Singapore racing calendar, with the two bookending the season. The Lion City Cup was won by Lim's Lightning on April 24 and the Merlion Trophy is due on the last 2021 raceday on November 27.
Celavi has now taken her stakes earnings past the $240,000 mark for the Celavi Stable with that sixth win from 10 starts.
Clements was not unpleased with Quarter Back's fourth place either.
"He didn't like the kickback. He's a horse who needs things to go his way, but he was very effective today," he said.
