All three Singapore horses and connections are already in South Korea for the big race on Sunday, bar one - jockey Danny Beasley.
Booked to ride Speedy Cat in the inaugural Asia Challenge Cup (1400m) in Seoul, the Australian rider would have normally joined the trainer Leslie Khoo along with the rest of Team Singapore’s contingent made up of trainers Bruce Marsh (Trudeau) and Alwin Tan and jockey David Flores (El Padrino) when they all left on Wednesday, but decided to stay a little longer in Singapore just so he could ride the 2013/2014 champion three-year-old in Thursday’s barrier trial.
Beasley, who will also ride at Friday’s night meeting at Kranji before catching a Seoul-bound flight a few hours later, was glad he did not pass up the opportunity to sit aboard the now four-year-old at his second barrier trial.
There was no loafing around like at his first trial a fortnight ago, with War Affair effortlessly taking up the lead from the get-go before repelling the challenge from Flash Gift (Corey Brown) when ridden out to score by 1 ¾ lengths in the smart time of 1min 0.15secs.
With neither Tan nor right-hand man Jason Ong on hand to oversee the Singapore 3YO Challenge Triple Crown winner’s second hit-out pending his racing comeback since he won the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) on May 16, Beasley was the “man in charge” on Thursday morning, but said his job was just to steer the smart galloper and give connections his feedback, which, judging from his beaming smile upon unsaddling, was a dead-set giveaway for a thumbs-up.
“He’s the only reason why I am not in Korea yet. We wanted to give him a real workout today, no point just going around, as he will be in for a tough race when he comes back,” he said.
“Though they have not yet decided when it’ll be, Alwin is trying to get the fitness edge back in him, as he’ll have to measure up against benchmark horses like Zac Spirit, whom he’s never met and Emperor Max, who beat him once.
“That day, he was first-up from his break and only 75% fit. There are also rock-hard fit horses like Goodman, who has stayed in work and who is such a solid racehorse.”
Beasley was a little surprised by the way the engine came alive when gates crashed back, given the endurance regimen the nine-time winner from 1200m to 1600m had been subjected to.
“I thought he’d be a bit more dour as Alwin’s been training him differently this time, getting more stamina and condition into him, but he was sharp as,” he said.
“I thought he would burn off, but he came back underneath me. When he got off the bridle, he just lengthened up so well, but then he switched off, as he normally does.
“He was like waiting to feel any other horse behind him before cruising up. That’s why I had to push him out a little in the last bit, just to remind him to keep working to the line.”
Beasley said his gut feel told him War Affair might need one more trial, but he would leave it to the trainer to call the shots.
“I was very happy with that hit-out. He’s a lot fitter and mentally more mature, though he is still a handful at times,” said Beasley.
“We’ve still got some time up our sleeve, and I think he may need one more trial. Alwin will come back early next week and will decide what to do.”
