The Michael Clements-Falcon Racing Stable juggernaut may well keep going this Sunday with three of the Thai-owned gallopers looking to have a strong hand in their respective contests.
Clements, who hit the lead on 14 winners (one clear of previous leader Mark Walker) following a solid haul of four winners last weekend – Siam Vipasiri and Gingerella on Friday and Trapio and Eye Guy on Sunday – is pinning his hopes down on three Falcon runners to put a wider space on his rivals – Golden Years (Race 2), Loving You (Race 5) and Drone (Race 8).
Of the trio, Clements has picked the resuming Drone as his best chance. A last-start winner in a Class 4 Non Premier race over 1100m last November, the Golden Archer three-year-old is running in the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1000m.
“Drone is coming back off a break and trialled very well last week (Thursday, March 14),” said the Zimbabwean-born conditioner who saddles another five runners on Sunday, including some decent chances like Elena Of Avalor and Ordos Legend, but only two runners on Friday, Hostwin Queen and Peer Gynt.
“He seems to have strengthened up and I expect a good run from him on Sunday.”
In the barrier trial, Drone, a two-time Polytrack winner (1000m and 1100m), began the best to show the way. He had some company in Wonderful Knight (Chin See Cheng) and White Truffle (senior track rider) early but once race-rider Vlad Duric loosened his grip, the bold chestnut extended away to a five-length win.
Clements also likes the chances of model of consistency Golden Years in the $75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200m on turf. The Jimmy Choux three-year-old might still be a maiden, but he has never finished worse than third in five starts.
“Golden Years overraced at his last race. We’ll try and ride him quiet through the run this time,” said Clements.
While that sky blue army pair will have two-time Singapore champion jockey and regular Falcon pilot (three of their 2019 winners had him up) Vlad Duric aboard, Clements has stuck with Juan Paul van der Merwe for the ride on Loving You in the $70,000 Kranji Stakes C Division 2 race over 1200m.
The South African jockey combined with Clements to ride the US-bred four-year-old mare by Twirling Candy to his first – and thus far only – Singapore win in a Class 4 race over 1200m on March 1.
“JP did a good job on Loving You and I saw no reason why not leave him on her,” said Clements.
“She scored a smart win and has done well since then. I expect another good run from her.”
