Connections will finally get to see Heartening Flyer face his first test over a mile this Saturday.
Touted as one of the horses to watch in 2022, the five-year-old son of Excelebration has risen rapidly from Restricted Maiden to Class 2 company. At his last start in a Class 2 race over 1400m, he was beaten into second place by another smart galloper, Katak.
With the Tivic Stable-owned gelding aimed at the $1 million Group 1 Kranji Mile in three months' time on May 21, trainer Michael Clements is looking to the $100,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1600m on Saturday as a good guide, especially against top-rated gallopers like Katak again, resuming 2018 Singapore Derby winner Jupiter Gold, Sacred Croix, as well as stablemates Top Knight and Trumpy .
"He is stepping up to a mile for the first time and we are pretty excited about this," said Clements of Heartening Flyer, who won a barrier trial under race-partner A'Isisuhairi Kasim last Thursday.
"We've always been wanting him to get this distance and he will get it.
"It was a good run last time, but he is better over 1600m.
"He won his recent trial and has maintained his good condition.
"He can handle the rise in class, though he is not good at the weights against Katak (1.5kgs worse off)."
Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) winner (2020) Top Knight ran sixth to the unbeaten Lim's Kosciuszko at his first start this season three weeks ago. The six-year-old son of Zoustar has won three times over the mile and will be ridden by his last-start partner Manoel Nunes.
An Argentinian-bred six-year-old by Lizard Island, Trumpy will be partnered by jockey John Sundradas for the first time, but Clements reckons he will find it harder to cope with the rise in class this time.
"Top Knight has improved from his last run and he is in great shape," said the 2020 Singapore champion trainer.
"He will be better over the Long Course and on a wet track, but the Short Course is okay, too.
"Both Heartening Flyer and Trumpy will be fine on a wet track, too.
"It will be tougher for Trumpy in this class, but this will be a prep run for him towards a Class 3 race over 2000m in a few weeks' time (March 19)."
The naturalised Singaporean of Zimbabwean descent launches another three-pronged attack in the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1200m. They are Prosperous Return, Ablest Ascend and Karisto .
A four-year-old son of Fighting Sun, Prosperous Return ran fifth to Hard Too Think in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) last October and is coming off two winning barrier trials first-up after four months. Clements is upbeat about him though he could not say the same for another Tivic Stable gelding, Ablest Ascend, who will also be at his first start for the new season.
"He's (Prosperous Return) had a good break, and he is well placed in this race," said Clements.
"He has run two good trials and he is close to winning.
"We will work towards the Stewards' Cup and Singapore Derby for him.
"Nunes will take the ride this Saturday, while Harry (A'Isisuhairi) will ride Ablest Ascend.
"Ablest Ascend is a good Class 4 performer (won thrice in Class 4), but he has not won in Class 3, though he was placed once two starts ago (third to Starlight).
"He trialled well for the race. It is a fair race, and he just needs to find his form."
The Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m) and Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) will be held on June 26 and July 17 respectively. They were previously part of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge series that was scrapped last year following the cancellation of the Group 3 Silver Bowl (1400m).
On the other hand, the China Horse Club-owned Karisto scored a hard-fought win in the Class 4 race over 1200m on January 29.
"He came back after a break at his last start, so he was fresh," said Clements.
"Even if it's not ideal over the 1200m in a higher-class race, the lighter weight (54.5kgs) this time round can help."
Karisto will be ridden by jockey Louis-Philippe Beuzelin.
