Champion trainer Laurie Laxon has had a quiet time by his standards this year, but hopes his Oscar Racing pair of Affleck and Mr Spielberg (pictured above) can insufflate new life into his season when they line up in the $1.15 million Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on Sunday.
After a one-man show at Kranji in the last 12 years or so, the first cracks under the increasingly growing competition began to show when the 70-year-old Kiwi lost the crown – which would have been his 10th – to fellow countryman Mark Walker last year.
He even missed a podium finish. He wound up fourth on 66 winners, a distant 20 winners to Walker.
Trust Laxon to not surrender so easily, though, but it would seem the tidal wave heralding the changing of the guard has reached full spate.
Laxon currently lies in eighth spot on 26 winners, 19 off table topper Alwin Tan.
Symptomatically, his Derby duo in a way echoes the dip in fortunes of their handler. Affleck's heyday as a champion two-year-old and three-year-old (though less dominant than his 2YO year) seemed to be a distant memory following a string of below-par runs since the Group 1 Singapore Guineas last year, and Mr Spielberg, once touted as his leading Derby hope looked headed the other way after he also went through a bad patch as well.
But their last runs have given Laxon rekindled hopes, especially Mr Spielberg's stunner under Glen Boss in a BM89 race over 2000m on June 19. An irregular heartbeat diagnosed after the Pentire four-year-old tailed off a long last in a 2200m race on Singapore Gold Cup day last year was the reason invoked, but Laxon had every reason to believe the flatline was behind his two horses – and him.
The duo had a last hit-out on the turf track on Wednesday, galloping in tandem over 2000m with Affleck working ever so slightly better on the outside.
"They're both very well and have come through their last races in great order," said Laxon.
"They galloped on the course proper this morning and I couldn't be happier with their work. They worked over 1 ¼ mile and galloped over 1200m, finishing locked together, and I was told they ran the last 600m in 34.2s.
"That will top them off just nice for the Derby and they also worked well on their own yesterday. They did pacework at half-pace on the Poly.
"They have come right at the right time. My season is coming along too, but sometimes it's not all about the wins; the placings and winning the big races still financially make for good years."
Laxon added that the two horses owned by his staunchest supporter, Mr Phua Chian Kin of Oscar Racing Stable cannot be judged too hastily on their lacklustre periods.
Affleck, for instance, was being niggled by back problems that Laxon saw as the main conviction to the son of Battle Paint being a shadow of his previous self since the Singapore Guineas.
"Affleck had back problems around the withers and we've fixed it with whatever it took, for example acupuncture and massage with the equine physios Lionel and Jakki. He ran very well in the Patron's Bowl," he said.
"Some people think he doesn't have the 2000m but I will use the example of Bounding Away as a case in point to tell you why it's not a concern for me and it's all about ability.
"That champion filly trained by the great TJ Smith won the Golden Slipper (1200m) and the AJC Oaks (2400m). She won because she was running in her own age group.
"The same thing can be applied to Affleck. In his own age group, he can run a good 2000m, but he wouldn't be as effective against more seasoned 2000m campaigners at weight for age."
While Laxon would not split the two Oscars, his legion of fans and those of the yellow and blue spotted silks would probably be lopsided towards Mr Spielberg. Again, Laxon defended the up-and-coming stayer by saying he had excuses during the time the Derby target started to look shaky.
"Mr Spielberg had a heart fibrillation problem. We gave him all the time he needed to get over that and he's as good as gold now," said Laxon who has two Derbys to his name, Dreyfuss (also Oscar's) in 2004 and Top Spin in 2008.
"He can stay and his work this morning was perfect. Bossy rode him and was very happy with him.
"They have both drawn very well. Affleck is in 8 and Mr Spielberg in 9, but will most likely drop to 5 and 6 (respectively) after the scratchings of the four EAs.
"Affleck will run in the first set of Oscar colours (blue spots) while we just received a brand new set of second colours (green spots) for Mr Spielberg. They're both good to go and I hope they both run well."
Boss decided to stick with Mr Spielberg even after he also rode fellow Derby contender Well Done to a resounding win in the Patron's Bowl. Affleck will be ridden by Danny Beasley, arguably the jockey who knows him the best for having partnered him to six of his seven wins, all during his two-year-old and earlier three-year-old juggernauts. -STC
After a one-man show at Kranji in the last 12 years or so, the first cracks under the increasingly growing competition began to show when the 70-year-old Kiwi lost the crown – which would have been his 10th – to fellow countryman Mark Walker last year.
He even missed a podium finish. He wound up fourth on 66 winners, a distant 20 winners to Walker.
Trust Laxon to not surrender so easily, though, but it would seem the tidal wave heralding the changing of the guard has reached full spate.
Laxon currently lies in eighth spot on 26 winners, 19 off table topper Alwin Tan.
Symptomatically, his Derby duo in a way echoes the dip in fortunes of their handler. Affleck's heyday as a champion two-year-old and three-year-old (though less dominant than his 2YO year) seemed to be a distant memory following a string of below-par runs since the Group 1 Singapore Guineas last year, and Mr Spielberg, once touted as his leading Derby hope looked headed the other way after he also went through a bad patch as well.
But their last runs have given Laxon rekindled hopes, especially Mr Spielberg's stunner under Glen Boss in a BM89 race over 2000m on June 19. An irregular heartbeat diagnosed after the Pentire four-year-old tailed off a long last in a 2200m race on Singapore Gold Cup day last year was the reason invoked, but Laxon had every reason to believe the flatline was behind his two horses – and him.
The duo had a last hit-out on the turf track on Wednesday, galloping in tandem over 2000m with Affleck working ever so slightly better on the outside.
"They're both very well and have come through their last races in great order," said Laxon.
"They galloped on the course proper this morning and I couldn't be happier with their work. They worked over 1 ¼ mile and galloped over 1200m, finishing locked together, and I was told they ran the last 600m in 34.2s.
"That will top them off just nice for the Derby and they also worked well on their own yesterday. They did pacework at half-pace on the Poly.
"They have come right at the right time. My season is coming along too, but sometimes it's not all about the wins; the placings and winning the big races still financially make for good years."
Laxon added that the two horses owned by his staunchest supporter, Mr Phua Chian Kin of Oscar Racing Stable cannot be judged too hastily on their lacklustre periods.
Affleck, for instance, was being niggled by back problems that Laxon saw as the main conviction to the son of Battle Paint being a shadow of his previous self since the Singapore Guineas.
"Affleck had back problems around the withers and we've fixed it with whatever it took, for example acupuncture and massage with the equine physios Lionel and Jakki. He ran very well in the Patron's Bowl," he said.
"Some people think he doesn't have the 2000m but I will use the example of Bounding Away as a case in point to tell you why it's not a concern for me and it's all about ability.
"That champion filly trained by the great TJ Smith won the Golden Slipper (1200m) and the AJC Oaks (2400m). She won because she was running in her own age group.
"The same thing can be applied to Affleck. In his own age group, he can run a good 2000m, but he wouldn't be as effective against more seasoned 2000m campaigners at weight for age."
While Laxon would not split the two Oscars, his legion of fans and those of the yellow and blue spotted silks would probably be lopsided towards Mr Spielberg. Again, Laxon defended the up-and-coming stayer by saying he had excuses during the time the Derby target started to look shaky.
"Mr Spielberg had a heart fibrillation problem. We gave him all the time he needed to get over that and he's as good as gold now," said Laxon who has two Derbys to his name, Dreyfuss (also Oscar's) in 2004 and Top Spin in 2008.
"He can stay and his work this morning was perfect. Bossy rode him and was very happy with him.
"They have both drawn very well. Affleck is in 8 and Mr Spielberg in 9, but will most likely drop to 5 and 6 (respectively) after the scratchings of the four EAs.
"Affleck will run in the first set of Oscar colours (blue spots) while we just received a brand new set of second colours (green spots) for Mr Spielberg. They're both good to go and I hope they both run well."
Boss decided to stick with Mr Spielberg even after he also rode fellow Derby contender Well Done to a resounding win in the Patron's Bowl. Affleck will be ridden by Danny Beasley, arguably the jockey who knows him the best for having partnered him to six of his seven wins, all during his two-year-old and earlier three-year-old juggernauts. -STC