English jockey Alan Munro will ride Mr Spielberg for the first time when they line up in the $700,000 Group 1 Panasonic Kranji Mile (1600m) on Sunday.
With Mr Spielberg's recent partner Glen Boss having picked Emirates Singapore Derby winner Well Done instead, trainer Laurie Laxon had to look elsewhere, but has not taken too long to stop his search when he found out Munro was available.
The classy rider was naturally pleased he had not been left out by a trainer he has combined for only one win – Lake Huka back in June – this season, even if he is well aware he may not be sitting atop a leading hope. But Munro has often risen to the occasion in big races, and will do his utmost to add a second win in the first Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series after champion mare Better Life for Hideyuki Takaoka in 2012.
"I'm thrilled to ride Mr Spielberg for Laurie in the Kranji Mile," said Munro, a man not known for his verbosity, but more for letting his riding do the talking.
"I've never ridden this horse before, but I know he's a nice staying sort. I will gallop him tomorrow and have a better idea where he's at."
What Munro does know for certain is that the Pentire five-year-old has stacks of ability, but tends to leave his runs too late, which was the case at his last start in the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy (1800m) on August 7. With Boss up, he came from near-last to finish third, only one length off the winner Quechua.
He again meets – on level terms - the Patrick Shaw-trained ace as well as the runner-up Majestic Moments, among others on Sunday, but will have other big names such as War Affair, Debt Collector and Well Done to worry about.
Laxon is aware that tendency to go through his gears when it is all over may again be Mr Spielberg's undoing on Sunday, but he is still hopeful the Oscar Racing Stable-owned gelding can bring home a place cheque.
"The Kranji Mile is worth a lot of money now," said the Kiwi mentor in reference to the hike in purse from $500,000 to $700,000.
"But it's a quality field and it looks like Mr Spielberg is outclassed under the conditions."
Under the weight-for-age conditions, Mr Spielberg carries the same handicap as the other entries, 58kgs, bar four-year-old Debt Collector (57.5kgs), whilst he is the lowest-rated runner at 91 points versus the highest, War Affair, on 118 points, meaning he would have been on 44.5 kilos on a scalar basis.
"We won't see him at his best until the Gold Cup. He needs a BM97 race over 1600m or 1800m but there was none," lamented Laxon.
"We had to run him in the Kranji Mile, but the horse is fit and well and we never know what can happen, but on paper, it looks a big ask."
Laxon has always seen Mr Spielberg as a long-term proposition for the staying features at Kranji, even skipping last year's Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) to give him more time to go through his grades this year.
But the Kiwi handler had to reshuffle his plans when Mr Spielberg ran a long last and returned with a heart fibrillation after a BM83 race over 2200m last November.
He took a while to get over that setback but a gradual return of his trademark turn of foot this term was an indication the six-time winner between 1600m and 2200m is back to his best. Even though he may not be quite top-draw material, he should not be treated lightly from now on, especially under the handicap conditions of the Singapore Gold Cup. -STC
With Mr Spielberg's recent partner Glen Boss having picked Emirates Singapore Derby winner Well Done instead, trainer Laurie Laxon had to look elsewhere, but has not taken too long to stop his search when he found out Munro was available.
The classy rider was naturally pleased he had not been left out by a trainer he has combined for only one win – Lake Huka back in June – this season, even if he is well aware he may not be sitting atop a leading hope. But Munro has often risen to the occasion in big races, and will do his utmost to add a second win in the first Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series after champion mare Better Life for Hideyuki Takaoka in 2012.
"I'm thrilled to ride Mr Spielberg for Laurie in the Kranji Mile," said Munro, a man not known for his verbosity, but more for letting his riding do the talking.
"I've never ridden this horse before, but I know he's a nice staying sort. I will gallop him tomorrow and have a better idea where he's at."
What Munro does know for certain is that the Pentire five-year-old has stacks of ability, but tends to leave his runs too late, which was the case at his last start in the Group 2 Chairman's Trophy (1800m) on August 7. With Boss up, he came from near-last to finish third, only one length off the winner Quechua.
He again meets – on level terms - the Patrick Shaw-trained ace as well as the runner-up Majestic Moments, among others on Sunday, but will have other big names such as War Affair, Debt Collector and Well Done to worry about.
Laxon is aware that tendency to go through his gears when it is all over may again be Mr Spielberg's undoing on Sunday, but he is still hopeful the Oscar Racing Stable-owned gelding can bring home a place cheque.
"The Kranji Mile is worth a lot of money now," said the Kiwi mentor in reference to the hike in purse from $500,000 to $700,000.
"But it's a quality field and it looks like Mr Spielberg is outclassed under the conditions."
Under the weight-for-age conditions, Mr Spielberg carries the same handicap as the other entries, 58kgs, bar four-year-old Debt Collector (57.5kgs), whilst he is the lowest-rated runner at 91 points versus the highest, War Affair, on 118 points, meaning he would have been on 44.5 kilos on a scalar basis.
"We won't see him at his best until the Gold Cup. He needs a BM97 race over 1600m or 1800m but there was none," lamented Laxon.
"We had to run him in the Kranji Mile, but the horse is fit and well and we never know what can happen, but on paper, it looks a big ask."
Laxon has always seen Mr Spielberg as a long-term proposition for the staying features at Kranji, even skipping last year's Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) to give him more time to go through his grades this year.
But the Kiwi handler had to reshuffle his plans when Mr Spielberg ran a long last and returned with a heart fibrillation after a BM83 race over 2200m last November.
He took a while to get over that setback but a gradual return of his trademark turn of foot this term was an indication the six-time winner between 1600m and 2200m is back to his best. Even though he may not be quite top-draw material, he should not be treated lightly from now on, especially under the handicap conditions of the Singapore Gold Cup. -STC