Reigning Singapore champion trainer Michael Clements couldn’t be happier with his Tuesday quartet of Raffles Cup contenders in barrier heat No 2 less than two weeks ahead of their Group 1 assignment on September 18.
So Hi Class (Oscar Chavez) came out tops after holding leader Grand Koonta (Danny Beasley) off the rails, hitting the line with a half-length to spare from the fast-finishing Big Hearted (Shafrizal Saleh) who was about the only one who got a bit of a rev-up late.
Ocean Crossing (Juan Paul van der Merwe), who settled just off the speed early, and Top Knight (Louis-Philippe Beuzelin), who was always at the rear, ran sixth and seventh respectively, without being really tested.
All four are entered for the $300,000 feature, with Prosperous Return and Elite Incredible the other two in the mix.
Clements said that on ratings, So Hi Class (80), Elite Incredible (77) and Prosperous Return (75) sit on the fringe, with an eventual participation hinging on who makes the final cut.
"I'm really pleased with the trials of all four this morning. They were outstanding," he said.
"So Hi Class did everything on his own and was not urged by his rider. He showed a lot of speed and travelled very well, it's just that on ratings, I'm not sure he'll get in.
"Big Hearted also ran very well. He was in a nice position but got a bit squeezed on turning, Shafrizal had to take him back.
"But once it opened up in the straight, he was very strong and hit the line beautifully. I was really pleased with him.
"As we all know, Top Knight isn't suited to Polytrack and the 1000m at all, but he was still running on strongly. He doesn't show much in his trials but I was pretty happy with that run.
"As for Ocean Crossing, he trialled okay. He's quite lazy in his trials and trackwork, and he was somewhat like that again this morning.
"Blinkers on will sharpen him up on raceday. He should run better then."
One notable Clements dropout from the Raffles Cup nominations is Tiger Roar. Long pencilled in as a Raffles Cup/Queen Elizabeth II Cup/Singapore Gold Cup raider even during his three-year-old campaign, the Wandjina four-year-old's last start in a Kranji Stakes C race (1600m) was unfortunately not without harm.
"After his last run, Tiger Roar had surgery to his knee. There were some fragments that had to be removed," said Clements of the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) winner.
"So he's out, but I'm sure he'll bounce back. Elite Incredible and Prosperous Return are on the borderline, we'll have a better idea when we see the entries later in the day.
"Elite Incredible will also trial next week."
As far as the Raffles Cup riders' booking is concerned, Clements said nothing had been cast in concrete and the trial riders should not be taken as the definitive guide.
"It gives us an idea, but the final booking will depend on who gets in. Let's wait a little longer," he said.
