Briefs for 6th October 2014

Trainer mulling over Antonio’s programme; Spalato dazzles on return; History beckons War Affair.

Trainer mulling over Antonio’s programme

Antonio Lombardo’s sterling effort to win at Hastings has his connections scouring the racing programmes for suitable future events for the stable stalwart.

He carried 59kg to defeat Shandream and Fix, who were both in receipt of three and a-half kilos, in Saturday’s Gr.3 Linwood Park Stud Sprint.

“It was a good race to win and we’ll have to try and work out where we go now,” co-trainer Peter McKay said.

“I’m not sure about the Stewards (at Riccarton) and the weight there so we might have to look at weight-for-age – there’s Rotorua and the Railway.”

Spalato dazzles on return

New Zealand-bred and owned star Spalato has made a stunning return to racing at Kranji.

In his first appearance since claiming the Singapore Derby in July, he kept his unbeaten record intact on Sunday evening with a two and a-quarter length defeat of his rivals in the Panasonic Display Solutions Stakes.

“Wow, it feels great to have him back racing again,” Brazilian rider Manoel Nunes said. “He’s definitely matured now after his break and is more relaxed. He knows what he has to do and just gets on with it.”

Spalato, who carried topweight of 59.5kg, bounced straight to the front and his opposition was thereafter chasing a shadow.

“He got into a nice position after a good jump, but I thought one of them would try and take the lead and I was surprised when none of them went forward,” Nunes said. “The weight was a bit of a worry for me but this horse is just too good.”

Spalato’s main target lies in Hong Kong in Hong Kong where trainer John O’Hara hopes to enter him in the Gr.2 Longines Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) on November 23 before the Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) on December 14.

History beckons War Affair

War Affair is on target to become the first horse in Singapore racing history to land all three legs of the Triple Crown in a calendar year.

The son of O’Reilly bagged the opening race on Sunday night when he triumphed in the Panasonic Kranji Mile and trainer Alwin Tan has confirmed the horse will line up in the second leg, the Raffles Cup in three weeks before the Longines Singapore Gold Cup on November 16.

War Affair gave rider Danny Beasley his 400th winner in Singapore when they overcame a wide run to edge clear for major honours in Sunday’s feature mile.