Singapore’s entrant in the eighth leg of the Global Sprint Challenge in Japan on Sunday is continuing to make steady improvement.

The Steven Burridge-trained Captain Obvious will face 15 opponents in the Grade 1 (approx) S$3 million Sprinters Stakes over 1200m at Nakayama on Sunday in which he has drawn out in barrier 12 and faces the daunting task of being opposed to 13 of the best Japanese sprinters can offer and two high quality Hong Kong gallopers, one of which is already proven on the international stage.

The two Hong Kong gallopers – Lucky Nine and Little Bridge (successful at Royal Ascot in June) – drew more favourably in barriers five and seven respectively while last year’s victor Curren Chan drew out in 14.

Burridge’s ‘B’ trainer Jakki Harrison was in a buoyant mood after trackwork on Friday morning in which she took Captain Obvious for a trot and a canter on the all-weather surface.

But her smile was diminished a little when she learned of the barrier draw for the seven-year-old who will be ridden by his regular jockey Oscar Chavez.

“Obviously we would have liked to have drawn down a bit lower,” said Harrison.

“But last year’s winner has drawn outside of us and there is another strong chance in the race drawn wide as well.

“It’s going to make Oscar’s job a bit harder from out there but I do think that Oscar rides better when he’s away from home.”

Harrison said she didn’t expect the Japanese horses drawn inside of Captain Obvious to be loafing in the early stages which may help him.

“If the pace is on we’d be happy to settle in the first five,” said Harrison.

“He doesn’t have to lead in his races. It’s just the way the races turn out back home whereby he goes to the front.

“He’s very adaptable. He can take a sit and having won over 1400m he can still be strong at the end here, especially with the rise over the last 200m.”

Harrison said Captain Obvious is settled and ready to run after transferring to the quarantine centre at Nakayama on Wednesday and added that the weight he had lost in transit to Japan was slowly starting to come back on.

While his weight is still short of the 559kg he was when second to Super Easy in the Group 3 Jumbo Jet Trophy over 1400m on September, it is more comparable to the 552kg he was when fourth behind Ato in the International Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint over 1200m in May.

She said the gelding’s trip to Dubai at the start of the year had also been a positive for Captain Obvious getting used to his new surroundings.

“He ate up last night and drank nearly a whole bucket of water,” said Harrison.

“That’s the first time he’s done that since he left Singapore. Drinking was a big concern for us as was his weight.

“He went for a trot of one lap and then a light canter for another and when he’s come back to the stable he’s gone straight into his breakfast.

“I weighed him this morning and he was 549kg. He was 552kg when he ran in the International race back home in May and was 559kg when Super Easy beat him last time out.

“He’s coming along nicely exactly at the right time.

“He has been so relaxed of late that when I came down at 9pm last night he was flat out and asleep.

“That’s a good sign to me.”