Spalato (NZ) (Elusive City)
Trainer John O'Hara is keeping his fingers crossed his champion galloper Spalato will bounce back to his true self in the $800,000 Gr.1 Lion City Cup (1200m) in Singapore on Sunday.
Till now, the Singaporean handler is still at a loss to explain the Elusive City six-year-old's lacklustre run in the second Leg of the Singapore Sprint Series, the Gr.3 Kranji Sprint (1200m) on April 3. Spalato sat at the back of the small eight-horse field but barely pulled any ground off the leaders in the home straight to run a tepid fifth more than four lengths off the winner Emperor Max.
O'Hara has since spent the last three weeks trying to get to the bottom of that uncharacteristic run, but is still stumped for an answer.
"I had him scanned after the race but the results have been all clear. The vets could not find anything untoward," said O'Hara.
"Some people say it was the pull in weights (Spalato was the topweight on 58kgs and gave weight all round), but to be honest, I don't think it was a factor," he continued.
"I just can't find a reason to that run. He just wasn't the same horse on that day."
Spalato was imperious at his previous start in the Gr.2 Merlion Trophy (1200m), blowing his rivals away by just under four lengths.
The Graham Mackie-owned gelding produced an under-whelming piece of work on the grass midweek, but O'Hara is not overly concerned.
"He seems to be fine. Some horses tell you they are on the up when they eat well, but Spalato has never been a good doer.
"I just hope he bounces back on Sunday but it will be tough. Even though it is now a set-weight race, he is up against the same horses who beat him, and Emperor Max and Zac Spirit are not just any horse, they were first-up and they have improved from that run as well."
Till now, the Singaporean handler is still at a loss to explain the Elusive City six-year-old's lacklustre run in the second Leg of the Singapore Sprint Series, the Gr.3 Kranji Sprint (1200m) on April 3. Spalato sat at the back of the small eight-horse field but barely pulled any ground off the leaders in the home straight to run a tepid fifth more than four lengths off the winner Emperor Max.
O'Hara has since spent the last three weeks trying to get to the bottom of that uncharacteristic run, but is still stumped for an answer.
"I had him scanned after the race but the results have been all clear. The vets could not find anything untoward," said O'Hara.
"Some people say it was the pull in weights (Spalato was the topweight on 58kgs and gave weight all round), but to be honest, I don't think it was a factor," he continued.
"I just can't find a reason to that run. He just wasn't the same horse on that day."
Spalato was imperious at his previous start in the Gr.2 Merlion Trophy (1200m), blowing his rivals away by just under four lengths.
The Graham Mackie-owned gelding produced an under-whelming piece of work on the grass midweek, but O'Hara is not overly concerned.
"He seems to be fine. Some horses tell you they are on the up when they eat well, but Spalato has never been a good doer.
"I just hope he bounces back on Sunday but it will be tough. Even though it is now a set-weight race, he is up against the same horses who beat him, and Emperor Max and Zac Spirit are not just any horse, they were first-up and they have improved from that run as well."