With Well Done's stamina a touch suspect, the last thing jockey Michael Rodd wants for the game gelding in the $1.15 million Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) next Sunday is a staying test.
Rodd is thrilled to bits to jump straight back onto a leading chance at one of Kranji's biggest racedays only a week after he returns from a six-week injury-enforced break (with four rides) this Friday. But for having ridden the son of Falkirk once, and won, he was in a better position to size up the task at hand.
From his forgettable debut (steering issues after he was bumped by another runner and veered off towards the Riding Centre at the 800m) as an unraced newcomer in Restricted Maiden company, Well Done has come a long way to reach a lofty level that connections had planned in marksmen style from the time he started to show ability as a three-year-old, especially over the mile.
After the progressive chestnut brought up two wins this campaign, one over 1600m and the next over 1700m on Polytrack, trainer David Kok tested the Derby waters for the first time in a Benchmark 97 race over 2000m in March.
Well Done ran third to fellow Derby contender Blue Danube, more workmanlike than anything, but enough to press on towards the Holy Grail – a cleverly-plotted path that eschewed the first 1400m Leg, the Group 2 Stewards' Cup before hitting the target in the second 1600m Leg, the Group 1 Patron's Bowl on June 19.
The plum ride fell Rodd's way after Glen Boss decided to stick with his earlier winner that day, the Laurie Laxon-trained Mr Spielberg.
Kok could not have picked a more suitable pair of hands. Besides having three Derbys under his belt, the 2006 Victoria Derby with his Melbourne Cup winning horse Efficient and two Queensland Derbys, Dariana (2010) and Shootoff (2011), the big-race jockey, more to the point, won on Well Done two runs back (in the 1700m race) as a pick-up rider.
No doubt, he is back on board under similar circumstances, but he is not coming in from the cold this time.
Rodd was reunited with the Patron's Bowl winner in a barrier trial on Thursday morning, jumping off with the contented face that read the horse has taken it to the next level since their chance combination.
"He's had the perfect prep with two wins over the mile. He is ready for 2000m and today was just a maintenance gallop," he said after he gave Well Done a quiet trial to finish eighth to Time Odyssey.
"They went quick when Time Odyssey rolled along, but I had to be careful not to be too close to him. His fitness is perfect, which is a credit to David who is a very good young trainer, he really knows how to maintain his horses' conditions.
"He will just need one more blowout on Tuesday and they will then just keep him ticking over until Sunday."
Which inevitably brought him to the all-important issue of the trip, which most pundits, including Boss (hence his preference for Mr Spielberg), still see as unconquered territory.
"He's got a sharp turn of foot and the key to him is to try and keep that for the last 200m," said Rodd.
"He shouldn't go forward and get caught in a ridiculous staying test. Ideally, he gets an easy trip to the home turn, then it'll be no problem because he will rip home as quickly as the others don't worry about that.
"He's a very smart little horse and he can definitely run a good Derby."
Kok, who had owner Jason Goh by his side during the trial, said everything had gone to plan so far, and touch wood, Well Done gets a ground-saving run in transit, preferably from a good barrier.
"The horse has pulled up well and he's in very good condition," said the Singaporean conditioner whose Patron's Bowl win was only his second Group 1 hurrah after Cash Luck's Panasonic Kranji Mile win in 2013.
"Michael is a top class jockey and we're lucky he's back in time from injury. But to be honest, Well Done is an easy horse who can go with any jockey from all countries and styles!
"He's won with Nooresh Juglall from Mauritius, Manoel Nunes from Brazil, even my boy (Salim Yusoff), and won with two Melbourne Cup jockeys (Rodd and Boss).
"All he needs is luck in the running and hopefully, a soft run in transit as the 2000m is after all still a question mark. Michael will ride him in one last gallop on Tuesday, hopefully we get a good barrier later on, and then it's all up to them." -STC
Rodd is thrilled to bits to jump straight back onto a leading chance at one of Kranji's biggest racedays only a week after he returns from a six-week injury-enforced break (with four rides) this Friday. But for having ridden the son of Falkirk once, and won, he was in a better position to size up the task at hand.
From his forgettable debut (steering issues after he was bumped by another runner and veered off towards the Riding Centre at the 800m) as an unraced newcomer in Restricted Maiden company, Well Done has come a long way to reach a lofty level that connections had planned in marksmen style from the time he started to show ability as a three-year-old, especially over the mile.
After the progressive chestnut brought up two wins this campaign, one over 1600m and the next over 1700m on Polytrack, trainer David Kok tested the Derby waters for the first time in a Benchmark 97 race over 2000m in March.
Well Done ran third to fellow Derby contender Blue Danube, more workmanlike than anything, but enough to press on towards the Holy Grail – a cleverly-plotted path that eschewed the first 1400m Leg, the Group 2 Stewards' Cup before hitting the target in the second 1600m Leg, the Group 1 Patron's Bowl on June 19.
The plum ride fell Rodd's way after Glen Boss decided to stick with his earlier winner that day, the Laurie Laxon-trained Mr Spielberg.
Kok could not have picked a more suitable pair of hands. Besides having three Derbys under his belt, the 2006 Victoria Derby with his Melbourne Cup winning horse Efficient and two Queensland Derbys, Dariana (2010) and Shootoff (2011), the big-race jockey, more to the point, won on Well Done two runs back (in the 1700m race) as a pick-up rider.
No doubt, he is back on board under similar circumstances, but he is not coming in from the cold this time.
Rodd was reunited with the Patron's Bowl winner in a barrier trial on Thursday morning, jumping off with the contented face that read the horse has taken it to the next level since their chance combination.
"He's had the perfect prep with two wins over the mile. He is ready for 2000m and today was just a maintenance gallop," he said after he gave Well Done a quiet trial to finish eighth to Time Odyssey.
"They went quick when Time Odyssey rolled along, but I had to be careful not to be too close to him. His fitness is perfect, which is a credit to David who is a very good young trainer, he really knows how to maintain his horses' conditions.
"He will just need one more blowout on Tuesday and they will then just keep him ticking over until Sunday."
Which inevitably brought him to the all-important issue of the trip, which most pundits, including Boss (hence his preference for Mr Spielberg), still see as unconquered territory.
"He's got a sharp turn of foot and the key to him is to try and keep that for the last 200m," said Rodd.
"He shouldn't go forward and get caught in a ridiculous staying test. Ideally, he gets an easy trip to the home turn, then it'll be no problem because he will rip home as quickly as the others don't worry about that.
"He's a very smart little horse and he can definitely run a good Derby."
Kok, who had owner Jason Goh by his side during the trial, said everything had gone to plan so far, and touch wood, Well Done gets a ground-saving run in transit, preferably from a good barrier.
"The horse has pulled up well and he's in very good condition," said the Singaporean conditioner whose Patron's Bowl win was only his second Group 1 hurrah after Cash Luck's Panasonic Kranji Mile win in 2013.
"Michael is a top class jockey and we're lucky he's back in time from injury. But to be honest, Well Done is an easy horse who can go with any jockey from all countries and styles!
"He's won with Nooresh Juglall from Mauritius, Manoel Nunes from Brazil, even my boy (Salim Yusoff), and won with two Melbourne Cup jockeys (Rodd and Boss).
"All he needs is luck in the running and hopefully, a soft run in transit as the 2000m is after all still a question mark. Michael will ride him in one last gallop on Tuesday, hopefully we get a good barrier later on, and then it's all up to them." -STC