It was odd not to see any Laurie Laxon runner among the 15-horse field of Sunday's first Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, but the champion trainer might not shine by his absence anymore should exciting debut winner Mr Scorsese (NZ) (Pentire) score again this Friday.
The Oscar Racing Stable-owned Pentire grey was a class above when he smashed a Restricted Maiden field under a soft ride from Vlad Duric on March 13. Assistant-trainer Shane Ellis was reluctant to make too big a call, but the 3YO Challenge did get a mention in the washup.
The Laxon yard resisted the temptation of running him in the first Leg, the Group 3 Dester Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) a fortnight later, but if he backs up in Friday's $75,000 Novice race over 1200m, the last two Legs, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) on April 24 and the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) on May 15 are well on the cards.
"Mr Scorsese pulled up good after his win. He is pleasing us with the way he has trained on," said Ellis.
"He's been working with Stepitup and galloped very well today. Vlad was very happy with his work.
"We hope he goes well on Friday, but he has to win to be a runner in the 3YO series. If he does, then he will go for the last two Legs as he's definitely looking for more ground.
"Vlad has a big opinion of Mr Scorsese, though I know he also rode Cliff Brown's three-year-old (Fitzroy) to a big win last week."
Laxon, who captured the last Leg, the Singapore Guineas with Affleck (NZ) (Battle Paint) last year, has slowly been gaining traction after a subdued start by their usual standards this year. Outside the Top 10 for the best part of the first quarter, it was only last week that the 70-year-old mentor and nine-time Singapore champion trainer finally edged into 10th place to now sit on 11 winners, three short of the 1,200-win mark.
Ellis said there was no reason to panic as their squad was slowly hitting their straps, be it with new upstarts like Mr Scorsese or old stagers like Martin (NZ) (Colombia), who is also an Oscar Racing stalwart, and by an even happier coincidence, is also the first name of the famous American director – Martin Scorsese.
The Colombia seven-year-old is entered with Valbuena (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in one half of Sunday's double-bill, the $200,000 Group 3 JBBA Moonbeam Vase (1800m). Laxon will be watching the other feature, the $200,000 Group 3 Kranji Sprint (1200m) as a spectator, while on Friday, their stable star Stepitup is a big chance.
"Martin has been running very well lately. He ran on for fourth at his last two races," said Ellis.
"If he gets a bit of rain to soften the track, he's always a chance. I'm happy with his condition and he's been jumping better out of the barriers.
"Danny Beasley will ride him again. Danny had a good association with Martin two or three years ago; they won the Fortune Bowl in 2013.
"It may be some time back, but you never know. The horse is well and Danny knows him inside out."
Martin has scored only twice since his Group 3 Fortune Bowl (2000m) triumph in February 2013, once with Beasley again in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1600m one year later and another time when he circled the field after bungling his start under Italian jockey Mario Esposito to land his seventh and last success last June. STC
The Oscar Racing Stable-owned Pentire grey was a class above when he smashed a Restricted Maiden field under a soft ride from Vlad Duric on March 13. Assistant-trainer Shane Ellis was reluctant to make too big a call, but the 3YO Challenge did get a mention in the washup.
The Laxon yard resisted the temptation of running him in the first Leg, the Group 3 Dester Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) a fortnight later, but if he backs up in Friday's $75,000 Novice race over 1200m, the last two Legs, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) on April 24 and the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) on May 15 are well on the cards.
"Mr Scorsese pulled up good after his win. He is pleasing us with the way he has trained on," said Ellis.
"He's been working with Stepitup and galloped very well today. Vlad was very happy with his work.
"We hope he goes well on Friday, but he has to win to be a runner in the 3YO series. If he does, then he will go for the last two Legs as he's definitely looking for more ground.
"Vlad has a big opinion of Mr Scorsese, though I know he also rode Cliff Brown's three-year-old (Fitzroy) to a big win last week."
Laxon, who captured the last Leg, the Singapore Guineas with Affleck (NZ) (Battle Paint) last year, has slowly been gaining traction after a subdued start by their usual standards this year. Outside the Top 10 for the best part of the first quarter, it was only last week that the 70-year-old mentor and nine-time Singapore champion trainer finally edged into 10th place to now sit on 11 winners, three short of the 1,200-win mark.
Ellis said there was no reason to panic as their squad was slowly hitting their straps, be it with new upstarts like Mr Scorsese or old stagers like Martin (NZ) (Colombia), who is also an Oscar Racing stalwart, and by an even happier coincidence, is also the first name of the famous American director – Martin Scorsese.
The Colombia seven-year-old is entered with Valbuena (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in one half of Sunday's double-bill, the $200,000 Group 3 JBBA Moonbeam Vase (1800m). Laxon will be watching the other feature, the $200,000 Group 3 Kranji Sprint (1200m) as a spectator, while on Friday, their stable star Stepitup is a big chance.
"Martin has been running very well lately. He ran on for fourth at his last two races," said Ellis.
"If he gets a bit of rain to soften the track, he's always a chance. I'm happy with his condition and he's been jumping better out of the barriers.
"Danny Beasley will ride him again. Danny had a good association with Martin two or three years ago; they won the Fortune Bowl in 2013.
"It may be some time back, but you never know. The horse is well and Danny knows him inside out."
Martin has scored only twice since his Group 3 Fortune Bowl (2000m) triumph in February 2013, once with Beasley again in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1600m one year later and another time when he circled the field after bungling his start under Italian jockey Mario Esposito to land his seventh and last success last June. STC