SINGAPORE,  14  March 2006

International nominations have been received from the USA, Europe (Ireland, England, UAE, France, Germany and Italy), Macau, Malaysia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Japan.

Among those nominated are Italian Derby winner DE SICA, USA Champion Turf Horse DAVID JUNIOR, Mackinnon Stakes (G1) winner LAD OF THE MANOR, Argentinian Derby (G1) winner VROOM VROOM, three-times Group II winner PRIDE, four-times Group I winner ALEXANDER GOLDRUN dual Group II winner BADGE OF SILVER and OUIJA BOARD Champion Turf (female) of 2004.

Irish trainer Dermot Weld has nominated Irish Derby (G1) winner GREY SWALLOW along with 2004 American Derby (G2) winner SIMPLE EXCHANGE, while Godolphin are keen to run Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) winner ELECTROCUTIONIST, who won the Al Maktoum Challenge (G2) in Dubai on March 2.

South African trainer Mike de Kock, who ran second in the race in 2004 with Surveyor, has nominated eight of his runners who are currently racing in the UAE, including MULLINS BAY, EXCALIBUR and ORACLE WEST.

Undaunted by the quality of the international horses, Singapore trainers have submitted 25 entries including Steven Burridge’s WORLD LEADERS, KING AND KING and former Sydney galloper WARM RIDE.
Laurie Laxon has nominated world traveller BIG EASY who is currently in Dubai, DREYFUSS, RAUL and MOUNT STREET who ran second in the 2005 Singapore Gold Cup (SG1).

TERFEL, winner of the 2005 Singapore Gold Cup, has just returned from Dubai and he will run in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup on March 18 before trainer Danny Murphy establishes his final preparation for the SAIC.