South African trainer Ricardo Le Grange’s Panasonic Kranji Mile quartet were the stars of Tuesday trackwork after they all rounded up their prep with a perfect hit-out on the turf track on Tuesday.
Majestic Moments (Barend Vorster) and Big Brother (Nooresh Juglall) came out for the first spin before the two Le Grange riders jumped aboard stablemates Quechua (Vorster) and Emperor’s Banquet (Juglall) for the next round.
Le Grange, who will be having a crack at the Singapore Triple Crown series for the first time as a trainer in his own right, certainly knows the ins and outs of getting a horse ready for such a tough challenge.
Quechua himself put his name up in the lights when he claimed the third Leg, the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) in 2014 when prepared by Le Grange’s former mentor Patrick Shaw. Shaw’s Cooptado also claimed the time-honoured race the next year, and in the past, Mr Line took the honours in 2006 with Jeff Lloyd astride.
Le Grange was also involved with Blizz Bless (2003) and Setembro Chove (2007) when they took out the Group 1 Kranji Mile, with only the second Leg, the Raffles Cup (1800m) having eluded Shaw.
The first-year handler is not worried about such records. For now, Le Grange who has already captured three Group features in his fledgling career, including the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) in April, just wants one of the four runners to come up trumps on Sunday, and he will then work out who moves to the next Leg, even if he has more or less mapped out their paths already.
“Let’s start with Big Brother and Majestic Moments. Both galloped very well this morning,” he said.
“Obviously, Big Brother will be second-up from a long layoff. His main mission is the Gold Cup.
“Majestic Moments is at his third run from a layoff. I was happy with his last run (in Jumbo Jet Trophy) and he came out of that run rather well.”
While most would have expected Juglall to be aboard his pet horse Majestic Moments, seeing Vorster atop during the grass gallop was a pointer there could be a reshuffle – which was later confirmed by Le Grange.
“Barend will race-ride Majestic Moments while it’s Nooresh who will ride Big Brother,” said Le Grange who normally calls the shots for his two stable jockeys’ rides.
“While Barend rode Quechua and Nooresh was on Emperor’s Banquet in the grass gallop, it’s Alan Munro who will ride Quechua and Oscar Chavez will ride Emperor’s Banquet in the Kranji Mile.
“I think going back to weight-for-age conditions will be much more in Quechua’s favour as opposed to the Committee’s Prize (1600m) in which he gave weight all round and he couldn’t make up ground.
“He galloped well with Barend this morning. I’m happy with him and fingers crossed he runs an improved race.
“Emperor’s Banquet is the only one not going for all three Legs of the Singapore Triple Crown series. He will run in the El Dorado Classic instead.”
The Group 3 El Dorado Classic (2200m) will be run on the same day as the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) on October 22, and is the lead-up race to the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m).
“Emperor’s Banquet is in the same boat as Big Brother. The Kranji Mile is just a lead-up run to the Gold Cup,” he said.
“He will be at his third run from a very long layoff. I hope he runs an improved race.”
Munro, who seldom rides for Le Grange or even Shaw for that matter, is really looking forward to his first combination with such a big name like Quechua.
“I’m really happy to be riding Quechua. He’s a class horse,” said the English rider.
“I’ve never ridden him, be it in a race or in trackwork, but I do remember him when he beat War Affair and me in the Singapore Derby (2015).
“I respect this horse a lot for that.”
