The El Dorado Classic is a race that is special to trainer Hideyuki Takaoka for obvious reasons.
The Kranji-based Japanese handler saddled El Dorado to three Singapore Gold Cup wins in 2008, 2009 and 2011, equalling the record of Three Rings in the mid-50s. To honour the great stayer, the Singapore Turf Club renamed the Mandai Classic after him in 2012.
Since the very first inaugural version, Takaoka has had a runner every year. After his first runner Mitre Peak ran third, he was right on target with Musketeer the next year.
Bolstered by that result, he came back with a quartet the next year, but none brought any joy, with Brilliant Deal (fifth), Zipangu (10th), Tangible Assets (12th) and Fujin Bright (14th) all well beaten.
Fujin Bright returned as his sole runner last year when the event was elevated to Group 3 for the first time, but did not fare any better, beating one home.
Renowned for his affinity with staying mares (think Better Life and Jolie’s Shinju), Takaoka will this Sunday field Japanese mare Higher Soul at this year’s renewal of the $150,000 race. Like Musketeer, the daughter of Higher Game is raced by El Dorado’s owner Masa Otani, and another win would certainly add further symbolism to the occasion.
But Takaoka revealed that he was initially prepared to give this year’s El Dorado Classic a miss for the first time as he didn’t think he had any worthy contender. He had actually aimed Higher Soul at a Class 4 race over 1800m instead, but it was scrapped.
With the mare’s rating of 54, he thought she was a class query in the El Dorado Classic, but in the end decided to wing it, though he remained realistic about his chances of again holding up close the trophy bearing the name of his Gold Cup hero on Sunday.
“I wanted to run her in a Class 4 race over 1800m but it was cancelled. It was a last-minute decision to run her in the El Dorado Classic,” he said.
“The furthest she’s gone up to is 1800m, which was the distance she won over at her last start. I think she can stay the 2200m distance, but the problem is more the big jump in class.
“To be honest, I think she’s there to make up the numbers. She won in a Class 4 race at her last start, and now she is going up against Cooptado, last year’s Gold Cup winner.
“Even with the seven-kilo difference, it will be very difficult. She also has other good horses like Rockfast and Time Odyssey to beat.
“Derreck David won on her at her last start and he will ride her again. It’s always an advantage to have a rider who knows her.
“I just hope she runs a good race.”
Ridden by David for the first time in that Class 4 race over 1800m on September 25, Higher Soul never went around any horse from barrier rise, hugging the rails throughout, even when race-leader Satellite Prince was inclined to roll in at the 300m, getting up on the inside to score racing away.
