Trainer Laurie Laxon will use Sunday's run in the $100,000 Open Benchmark 97 race (1600m) as a guide to a tentative loftier target for Mr Spielberg a week later.
Should the Pentire four-year-old run well and pull up well, the nine-time Singapore champion trainer may then back him up for the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy (1800m) on August 7.
Laxon said the Oscar Racing Stable-owned galloper has thrived since his unlucky fourth to Well Done with big-race jockey Glen Boss aboard in the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on July 10. The Australian rider will again sit aboard Mr Spielberg on Sunday, and will in all likelihood stick with him right through.
"Mr Spielberg ran very well in the Derby. He was very unlucky as he could not get out but I have no complaint with the way he ran," said the Kiwi mentor.
"He's been working well and will do has last piece of fast work with Bossy tomorrow."
Assistant-trainer Shane Ellis concurred with Laxon that the up-and-coming stayer seems to have turned the corner, especially after he put behind the heart fibrillation issues that had dogged him for a while and were probably behind his below-par runs in a not-too-distant past.
"He has really improved since that solid win with Bossy over the mile (June 19). He had no luck in the Derby but did his best work at the finish," said the Perth horseman, who will be missing from the action this weekend as he flies to Perth to attend his son's wedding.
"I won't be around on Sunday, but I will keep an eye on his run for sure. If he wins or runs well this Sunday, Laurie will then look to run him in the Chairman's Trophy the following Sunday. That is a race that will suit him to the ground."
Laxon has a close affinity with the Chairman's Trophy over 1800m having won the Group 2 event a record five times with Hoeberg (2002), Mount Street (2006), Top Spin (2008), Goodman (2014) and Stepitup (2015).
Another Oscar Racing Stable ward that Laxon said he had a bit of time for is two-year-old Dicaprio, who will be second-up in Friday's $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1100m on Polytrack.
At his debut last month, the son of Pins was specked late despite average barrier trial form, but proved to be a real handful for his jockey Rueven Ravindra. He still ran a fair fifth to eventual Aushorse Golden Horseshoe winner Lim's Racer.
Laxon expects Dicaprio to show significant improvement this time round.
"He was very wayward at his first race. Hopefully he will be more tractable this time," said Laxon.
"He won a nice barrier trial a couple of weeks ago. He needs a good barrier draw and some cover or else he runs out around the bends."
Laxon said the temptation to run Dicaprio in the Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) on Sunday was never there.
"He never came good enough for that race. He'll be a better three-year-old," he said. -STC
Should the Pentire four-year-old run well and pull up well, the nine-time Singapore champion trainer may then back him up for the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy (1800m) on August 7.
Laxon said the Oscar Racing Stable-owned galloper has thrived since his unlucky fourth to Well Done with big-race jockey Glen Boss aboard in the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on July 10. The Australian rider will again sit aboard Mr Spielberg on Sunday, and will in all likelihood stick with him right through.
"Mr Spielberg ran very well in the Derby. He was very unlucky as he could not get out but I have no complaint with the way he ran," said the Kiwi mentor.
"He's been working well and will do has last piece of fast work with Bossy tomorrow."
Assistant-trainer Shane Ellis concurred with Laxon that the up-and-coming stayer seems to have turned the corner, especially after he put behind the heart fibrillation issues that had dogged him for a while and were probably behind his below-par runs in a not-too-distant past.
"He has really improved since that solid win with Bossy over the mile (June 19). He had no luck in the Derby but did his best work at the finish," said the Perth horseman, who will be missing from the action this weekend as he flies to Perth to attend his son's wedding.
"I won't be around on Sunday, but I will keep an eye on his run for sure. If he wins or runs well this Sunday, Laurie will then look to run him in the Chairman's Trophy the following Sunday. That is a race that will suit him to the ground."
Laxon has a close affinity with the Chairman's Trophy over 1800m having won the Group 2 event a record five times with Hoeberg (2002), Mount Street (2006), Top Spin (2008), Goodman (2014) and Stepitup (2015).
Another Oscar Racing Stable ward that Laxon said he had a bit of time for is two-year-old Dicaprio, who will be second-up in Friday's $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1100m on Polytrack.
At his debut last month, the son of Pins was specked late despite average barrier trial form, but proved to be a real handful for his jockey Rueven Ravindra. He still ran a fair fifth to eventual Aushorse Golden Horseshoe winner Lim's Racer.
Laxon expects Dicaprio to show significant improvement this time round.
"He was very wayward at his first race. Hopefully he will be more tractable this time," said Laxon.
"He won a nice barrier trial a couple of weeks ago. He needs a good barrier draw and some cover or else he runs out around the bends."
Laxon said the temptation to run Dicaprio in the Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) on Sunday was never there.
"He never came good enough for that race. He'll be a better three-year-old," he said. -STC