Top two-year-olds Lim's Racer and Macarthur will again give trainer Steven Burridge a strong hand in his bid for more juvenile accolades in the $200,000 Group 3 Juvenile Championship (1200m) on Sunday.
The smart pair were Burridge's same two runners at Kranji's first two-year-old feature three weeks ago, the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m), with Lim's Racer (Danny Beasley) coming out tops courtesy of a gritty all-the-way win while Macarthur (Vlad Duric) lost no friends with a fifth place, only around two lengths astern.
They will again meet five of their Aushorse rivals while the David Hill-trained Silkino, a brilliant debut second in a Restricted Maiden race over 1100m on July 1, will be the only unknown quantity.
But Burridge had no reason to doubt his two charges' ability to bring the same A-game showed in the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe, hoping at least one of them can cross the line first.
"I could have spelled them after their last run, but both horses pulled up well after their last runs and I've decided to run them both in the Juvenile," said Burridge who originally entered a trio, but will be left with only two after he pulled Lim's Sparkle out.
"They have done very well since. Touch wood, they go okay on Sunday."
The Australian handler gave the thumbs-up after Macarthur was put through a final hit-out on Tuesday while he will watch the filly have hers on Wednesday morning with great keenness.
"Macarthur had his final hitout this morning while Lim's Racer will do hers tomorrow," said Burridge.
"Vlad rode Macarthur and they just had an easy bit of work. I ride Lim's Racer in trackwork and she's going really good, but it's Danny who will gallop her tomorrow."
A striking chestnut filly by Red Giant, Lim's Racer fell by the wayside at her first run in the third Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale Stakes (1100m), but quickly atoned with two straight wins on the bounce.
In four runs, Macarthur, a son of Charge Forward, has been no less consistent with two wins (including one in the fourth Leg, the IRT Juvenile Stakes over 1200m) and a debut third to Jupiter Gold, followed by a creditable fifth, albeit a little one-paced, to Lim's Racer in the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe.
Obviously, between the two Australian race-riders Burridge has booked, Beasley sounded a little more bullish but Duric was far from writing his chances off either.
"She's (Lim's Racer) only a small thing, but she has such massive strides. She's got a high cruising speed and in many ways, she reminds me a lot of Kiwi Karma (former top juvenile filly)," said Beasley.
"She's meeting more or less the same horses and it's at the same set weights. Hopefully, she draws well, though the only worry is the Long Course this time.
"I'll jump on her in a gallop tomorrow, which will be the first time since the Aushorse win. I'll then have a better idea how she's going, but Steve rides her every day and told me she's going great."
Duric, who has partnered the Stars & Stripes Stable-owned Macarthur at all his starts bar the maiden win with A'Isisuhairi Kasim up, said he could not knock his fitness after his casual spin around the Polytrack, seeing no reason why he would not put his best foot forward on Sunday.
"He's going really well and is holding his form," said the in-form Australian jockey. -STC
The smart pair were Burridge's same two runners at Kranji's first two-year-old feature three weeks ago, the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m), with Lim's Racer (Danny Beasley) coming out tops courtesy of a gritty all-the-way win while Macarthur (Vlad Duric) lost no friends with a fifth place, only around two lengths astern.
They will again meet five of their Aushorse rivals while the David Hill-trained Silkino, a brilliant debut second in a Restricted Maiden race over 1100m on July 1, will be the only unknown quantity.
But Burridge had no reason to doubt his two charges' ability to bring the same A-game showed in the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe, hoping at least one of them can cross the line first.
"I could have spelled them after their last run, but both horses pulled up well after their last runs and I've decided to run them both in the Juvenile," said Burridge who originally entered a trio, but will be left with only two after he pulled Lim's Sparkle out.
"They have done very well since. Touch wood, they go okay on Sunday."
The Australian handler gave the thumbs-up after Macarthur was put through a final hit-out on Tuesday while he will watch the filly have hers on Wednesday morning with great keenness.
"Macarthur had his final hitout this morning while Lim's Racer will do hers tomorrow," said Burridge.
"Vlad rode Macarthur and they just had an easy bit of work. I ride Lim's Racer in trackwork and she's going really good, but it's Danny who will gallop her tomorrow."
A striking chestnut filly by Red Giant, Lim's Racer fell by the wayside at her first run in the third Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale Stakes (1100m), but quickly atoned with two straight wins on the bounce.
In four runs, Macarthur, a son of Charge Forward, has been no less consistent with two wins (including one in the fourth Leg, the IRT Juvenile Stakes over 1200m) and a debut third to Jupiter Gold, followed by a creditable fifth, albeit a little one-paced, to Lim's Racer in the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe.
Obviously, between the two Australian race-riders Burridge has booked, Beasley sounded a little more bullish but Duric was far from writing his chances off either.
"She's (Lim's Racer) only a small thing, but she has such massive strides. She's got a high cruising speed and in many ways, she reminds me a lot of Kiwi Karma (former top juvenile filly)," said Beasley.
"She's meeting more or less the same horses and it's at the same set weights. Hopefully, she draws well, though the only worry is the Long Course this time.
"I'll jump on her in a gallop tomorrow, which will be the first time since the Aushorse win. I'll then have a better idea how she's going, but Steve rides her every day and told me she's going great."
Duric, who has partnered the Stars & Stripes Stable-owned Macarthur at all his starts bar the maiden win with A'Isisuhairi Kasim up, said he could not knock his fitness after his casual spin around the Polytrack, seeing no reason why he would not put his best foot forward on Sunday.
"He's going really well and is holding his form," said the in-form Australian jockey. -STC