Trainer David Kok was all smiles after his stable star Well Done completed his first barrier trial since a long layoff.
The Singaporean handler had owner Jason Goh by his side as the 2016 Emirates Singapore Derby winner took a casual spin around Kranji under apprentice jockey Salim Yusoff. Dropped back to the rear upon settling, the Falkirk six-year-old began to circle the field from the 600m to eventually run third to Macarthur (Vlad Duric) and Infantry (Ryan Curatolo), last year’s Derby winner.
Kok has picked the Group 3 Fortune Bowl (1400m) on February 17 as Well Done’s comeback race. His last race was a closing fifth to Forever Young in the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1800m) on August 6.
Shortly afterwards, Well Done hurt his left foreleg in a routine piece of work, which curtailed the ambitious plans Kok and Goh had mapped out.
“We wanted to run him in the Kranji Mile and the Singapore Gold Cup last year, but his left fore became swollen after trackwork a few days after he ran fifth at his last run. He did his suspensory,” said Kok.
“It’s bad luck for Jason as Well Done missed the Gold Cup the year before, too. He’s always had a dream of having a Gold Cup runner, and I have to admit that’s my dream, too.
“But we had to let him recover and he’s done it very well. I was very happy with the trial this morning. You know my style - just give them a quiet trial.
“He’s still not 100%, still a little overweight, but his weight is getting there. He will have another barrier trial in two weeks, one week before the Fortune Bowl.
“I haven’t decided who will ride him yet. Today, Salim rode him as he knows this horse very well.”
Kok will actually launch a two-pronged attack in the Fortune Bowl, the traditional Chinese New Year feature which is dropped from 2000m to 1400m this year as he also saddles his Group 3 New Year Cup winner Speedy Dragon.
Whether the trainer who had a moderate season last year gets to lay claim to the first two Group races of the Singapore racing calendar remains to be seen, but he certainly sounded bullish on Thursday morning after Well Done’s hitout.
“Speedy Dragon has pulled up well after the New Year Cup. Harry (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) will ride him again,” said Kok.
“I’ve also nominated him for the Dubai Golden Shaheen. He grows a leg on Polytrack and I thought it was worth a shot.”
The US$2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) is one of nine races staged as part of the Dubai World Cup night, the single richest day of racing in the world with its total purses of US$27.25 million.
