Looking to make amends from his last-start shock defeat, Affleck showed he knew where the winning post was when he came out on Tuesday sporting both a new set of gear and partner to take out a barrier trial in sparkling fashion.
A beaten favourite against older horses in a Kranji Stakes A race over the mile at his last run a month ago, the New Zealand-bred three-year-old is lining up in Sunday’s $125,000 SG50 Trophy (1400m), a race where he is set to carry only 54.5kgs and will also be one year older given all Southern Hemisphere-breds have their birthday on August 1.
With regular partner Michael Rodd unable to make that weight, Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes was given the call-up by the Laurie Laxon yard for the plum job, which also included Tuesday’s barrier trial.
Fitted with pacifiers for the first time, the seven-time winner took the drop on the leader, newcomer Run It Twice (Corey Brown), before going around him at the point of turn. Once Nunes gave a squeeze, Affleck sprinted up the last 200m to easily put a space of just under four lengths between Run It Twice and him, clocking 1min 0.37secs for the 1000m and looking spot-on for Sunday’s clash.
Laxon said he came up with the idea of applying pacifiers to the son of Battle Paint after he looked a little distracted at his last start.
“He was a bit spooked at his last race, he was gawking all over the place. We decided to put the pacifiers on him, and he seems to handle them well,” said the nine-time Singapore champion trainer.
“In saying this, he also had a bout of colic before his last run and I’m sure it took the edge off him. I’m expecting him to run better this Sunday.”
Nunes, who will be at his first association with the Oscar Racing Stable star, hoped the trial with pacifiers was a good litmus test for Sunday.
“The pace was a bit slow and he had pacifiers on, but he was handling it quite well,” said the Brazilian jockey.
“I only tested him in the last 200m and he responded very well. He won easy once he let down.
“I’m looking forward to the race on Sunday. I think the drop back to 1400m will suit him better.”
The SG50 Trophy, a one-off race to celebrate Singapore’s 50th National Day, will also see another star turn from the Laxon-Oscar Racing Stable team – Daniel, the son of Guillotine who returned with a smashing win from a bleeding attack two weeks ago.
“Daniel has pulled up in great order after that win. He galloped well on Saturday and will gallop again tomorrow (Wednesday),” said Laxon.
Corey Brown has retained the ride on the grey sprinter-miler and seven-race winner, who was sidelined for eight months after he bled in a barrier trial last November.
While the Laxon duo is expected to dominate the market, they will not get any favours from the likes of Darci Charmer, who is bidding for three wins (all over 1400m) in a row and New Zealand Group 1 winner Albany Reunion who can improve from his first-up sixth to Daniel.
