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Two of the world’s best
gallopers, RAMONTI and LITERATO, are among 106 early entries for the S$3m
Singapore Airlines International Cup (SAIC) over 2000m on May 18.
Both horses carry the famous all-blue colours of Godolphin Stable, who has
another top entry in CREACHADOIR, a close second to GOOD BA BA in last
year’s Group 1 Hong Kong Mile.
RAMONTI was Godolphin’s first British Group 1 winner since August 2005 when
winning the Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot last year en route to wrapping up the
season with a scintillating win in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup in December.
LITERATO, who until recently was prepared by French trainer Jean-Claude
Rouget, is a winner of the Group 1 Champion Stakes and ran second in the
Group 2 Prix du Jockey Club. He was recently purchased by Godolphin and
there have been good reports about him ahead of a likely start in the
upcoming Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic.
Emboldened by its back-to-back wins at the last two editions. Japan has
submitted 12 names, including both winners COSMO BULK (2006) and SHADOW GATE
(2007), Grade 1 Juvenile Fillies laureate VODKA and one of its latest rising
stars, MATSURIDA GOGH (Grade 1 Arima Kinen).
France’s DOCTOR DINO, third in last year’s SIAC is likely to make a return
to Kranji, hoping to turn the tables on the Japanese this time round. DOCTOR
DINO has since improved on his resume with a Group 1 win in the Hong Kong
Vase and the Grade 1 Man O’ War Stakes in the USA. Another French SIAC
nomination KOCAB ran fifth to DOCTOR DINO in the Vase.
Australia, who claimed the Cup in 2005 with Hall of Fame trainer Lee
Freedman’s MUMMIFY, never fails to be strongly represented. This year,
Caulfield trainer Mick Price’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes winner RUBISCENT
seems to be the pick of the crop, followed by recent Group 1 Futurity Stakes
winner NICONERO for David Hayes and Anthony Cummings’s CASINO PRINCE who
worked home late for third in the recent Group 1 Australian Cup.
England is regally represented this year through a horse owned by Her
Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II – BANKNOTE, a two-time Group 3 winner in
Germany. There is no shortage of depth either among the other eleven
entries, such as the talented English and Irish 1000 Guineas winner FINSCEAL
BEO and the Group 1 Premio Roma victor PRESSING.
The US will be pinning its hopes on six gallopers in its bid for its first
success in the SIAC. Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of super horse INVASOR, is
mentor to STREAM OF GOLD, who leads the American charge. SPRING HOUSE,
trained by Peruvian-born horseman Julio Canani, is in rattling form, having
just won the Grade 2 San Luis Obispo.
Hong Kong is nominating a slew of big names and up-and-comers, among which
is Tony Cruz’s formidable trio made up of the evergreen multiple-group
winner BULLISH LUCK, Group 1 Classic Mile winner FLORAL PEGASUS and rising
stayer HELLO PRETTY who already has the Group 2 Cathay Pacific International
Cup Trial to his name.
Globetrotting South African trainer Michael de Kock is again back with a
strong list, namely ORACLE WEST, who ran unplaced in last year’s SIAC but
has found his form in Dubai this spring and LUCKY FIND who won two races at
this year’s Dubai International Racing Carnival, including the Group 3
Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum Challenge. His fellow South African
Herman Brown has nominated big race stalwarts SUSHISAN (fifth in Group 1
Dubai Sheema Classic) and LINNGARI (Group 1 Premio Vittorio di Capua).
SIR SLICK and SEACHANGE are two of New Zealand’s most credentialled entries
in recent memory. SIR SLICK is a five-time Group 1 winner, most recent being
the New Zealand Stakes on 8 March while SEACHANGE has won seven Group 1
races over distances ranging between 1200m to 1600m. That is presumably why
the versatile horse is also nominated for the KrisFlyer.
Among the other countries, Ireland has nominated two runners LORD ADMIRAL,
trained by Charles O’Brien, son of legendary mentor Vincent O’Brien, and
BOB’S PRIDE. Germany, a past winner with EPALO in 2004, is relying on
QUIJANO (Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden) for a repeat feat, while Qatar has
two nominations, including the highly promising ATLANTIC AIR (Group 3 Grand
Prix de Vichy).
Singapore will be hoping to thwart the foreign armada with its 20-strong
list of nominations, headed by the likes of KING AND KING, who ran a
meritorious second to COSMO BULK in 2006, and champion trainer Laurie
Laxon’s TOP SPIN who gets a berth by virtue of his win in the Group 3
Four-Year-Old Mile last month.
The up-and-coming ONCEUPONATIME (Group 3 Singapore Guineas) and the
back-in-form CHEVRON also have the ability to give the overseas horses
something to worry about.
The next round of nominations closes on April 2.  |
