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The S$3 million Group 1 Singapore Airlines
International Cup on May 14 has been boosted by a further five nominations
at the second stage, taking total nominations to 108.
The five new nominations are Australia’s GREAT IS GREAT, trained by Greg
Eurell, former Australian based ZANKEL, now trained in Singaporeby Desmond
Koh, Argentine bred CHIQUITIN , prepared in Saudi Arabia by Ian Jory,
TROPICAL LADY from the Jim Bolger yard in Ireland, and SHANTY STAR, trained
by Rashed Bouresly in United Arab Emirates.
GREAT IS GREAT’S most recent effort saw him run second in the Group 2 Blamey
Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, beaten just a length by Rosden. By Desert Sun
from Predictions, the five-year-old gelding has won seven of his 22 starts
with wins ranging from 1100m to 1600m.
Six-year-old CHIQUITIN, by Fitzcarraldo from Murias, won the Group 2 SH
Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum Challenge (2000m) in the United Arab Emirates
in 2005 and then ran second in the same race this year to eventual Dubai
World Cup winner Electrocutionist.
ZANKEL, by Carnegie from Happiness, has only recently joined the stables of
Singapore trainer Desmond Koh. The four-year-old stallion was dual Listed
winner with success in the Port Adelaide Guineas and the Vain Stakes. ZANKEL
is still in Australia and would make the trip to Singapore in early May
should he be selected for the International Group 1 Feature.
Classy mare TROPICAL LADY won five consecutive races in the 2004 season in
Ireland and continued her good form in the 2005 season with a win in July in
the Group 3 Meld Stakes (2000m).
Sent out again in August 2005 over 2000m she won the Group 2 Royal Whip
Stakes and while that was the last time she raced, Jim Bolger has the knack
of preparing a horse to be spot on at the right time.
SHANTY STAR , who is owned by the Boubley Racing Syndicate in Dubai, had a
win over the race distance of 2000m in February 2006 at the Nad Al Sheeba
racecourse. In that race he beat local entry TERFEL, trained by Danny Murphy
by seven lengths but has yet to recapture that winning form in his last four
starts.
With some of the biggest racing names from Europe, the Middle East,
Australasia, Hong Kong and Japan, the Singapore Airlines International Cup
looks set to maintain its reputation as the premier racing event in the
region. 
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