Trainer Shane Baertschiger said Blue Swede had not really been aimed at the Singapore Gold Cup, but found himself earning a berth after a bit of reshuffle in the mix of circumstances.
The Australian handler initially thought the richest Group 1 race ($1.35 million) on the Singapore racing calendar, which is sponsored by Dester for the first time, would be "too rich" for the mood swings-prone O'Reilly six-year-old, not to mention the 2200m is a trip which was beyond the furthest he has ever been over.
Blue Swede did venture over 2000m in the Emirates Singapore Derby two years ago, but unfortunately came a cropper. The seven-time winner is more of a sprinter-miler having won between 1200m and 1600m, often enthralling the crowd with his devastating accelerations inside the last 400m – whenever he is in a galloping mood.
But Baertschiger started toying with the idea of a crack at the Gold Cup when a lot of big names like War Affair, Well Done and Fastnet Dragon dropped out of the race like flies.
"It was a last-minute decision to run him," he said.
"After all the top horses came out, I thought it was worth having a go. He ran on very well at his last start, even though he was very unlucky when he got held up twice.
"He got back as usual and ran on quite well but Best Tothelign was already home."
Baertschiger had actually mentioned both the winner and the runner-up of the Kranji Stakes A race over the mile would be heading towards the Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes (1700m) on December 4, but has now diverted one of them towards a loftier goal.
"The horse is fit and well and Matty (Kellady) will ride him again. He got 52kgs and JP (John Powell) cannot make that weight," he said.
"It's obviously not an ideal preparation for him to step up from the mile straight to 2200m, but we've done our best to put a bit more stamina work into him.
"He galloped on Saturday and went really well. He will gallop again tomorrow and that would be a wrap for him.
"Look, Blue Swede has stacks of talent, probably the most in my stable, but he's also a horse that can throw away a race if something gets to him early in the race.
"The 2200m is also a query, but I think he is more settled than before now. In the Derby, he overraced and he was not quite ready for such a race.
"Like I said, he didn't get an ideal preparation going into a race like the Gold Cup, but he is in good shape and if he brings his turn of foot on that day, he will be in the mix." -STC
The Australian handler initially thought the richest Group 1 race ($1.35 million) on the Singapore racing calendar, which is sponsored by Dester for the first time, would be "too rich" for the mood swings-prone O'Reilly six-year-old, not to mention the 2200m is a trip which was beyond the furthest he has ever been over.
Blue Swede did venture over 2000m in the Emirates Singapore Derby two years ago, but unfortunately came a cropper. The seven-time winner is more of a sprinter-miler having won between 1200m and 1600m, often enthralling the crowd with his devastating accelerations inside the last 400m – whenever he is in a galloping mood.
But Baertschiger started toying with the idea of a crack at the Gold Cup when a lot of big names like War Affair, Well Done and Fastnet Dragon dropped out of the race like flies.
"It was a last-minute decision to run him," he said.
"After all the top horses came out, I thought it was worth having a go. He ran on very well at his last start, even though he was very unlucky when he got held up twice.
"He got back as usual and ran on quite well but Best Tothelign was already home."
Baertschiger had actually mentioned both the winner and the runner-up of the Kranji Stakes A race over the mile would be heading towards the Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes (1700m) on December 4, but has now diverted one of them towards a loftier goal.
"The horse is fit and well and Matty (Kellady) will ride him again. He got 52kgs and JP (John Powell) cannot make that weight," he said.
"It's obviously not an ideal preparation for him to step up from the mile straight to 2200m, but we've done our best to put a bit more stamina work into him.
"He galloped on Saturday and went really well. He will gallop again tomorrow and that would be a wrap for him.
"Look, Blue Swede has stacks of talent, probably the most in my stable, but he's also a horse that can throw away a race if something gets to him early in the race.
"The 2200m is also a query, but I think he is more settled than before now. In the Derby, he overraced and he was not quite ready for such a race.
"Like I said, he didn't get an ideal preparation going into a race like the Gold Cup, but he is in good shape and if he brings his turn of foot on that day, he will be in the mix." -STC