Twickenham has claimed his second Group 3 Committee’s Prize (1600m) in as many years with a strong victory at Kranji on Sunday.
Having not won a race since the 2016 Committee’s Prize, Twickenham came into the race an outside chance but from barrier 10 was able to go to the lead and hold off his rivals over the concluding stages after being headed momentarily.
Running out a half a length winner over Mr Fantastic in second with Preditor third, Twickenham produced a rating slightly higher than his 2016 win over Kirks Ryker.
The Stephen Gray-trained runner came into the race off a solid effort behind Preditor in fourth with 59kg, dropping some 9kg for this race which proved the difference over his rivals.
Twickenham has shown over the last 12 months that he is a horse much better suited in handicaps rather than weight for age and with Quechua in the race Twickenham was in well on the limit with 50kg.
Of the beaten runners, Mr Fantastic was solid in second, running a new career peak figure and at one point looked the winner of the race in the straight.
The six-year-old gelding is certainly racing in career best form of late with Preditor in third also running well off his win the start prior in a Benchmark 89.
Later in the programme Bao Shan Magic continued his good recent form, scoring a second win from as many starts this campaign in the Class 3 Stakes over 1200m.
Find a good spot off the leaders for much of the race, the Mark Walker-trained runner scored a very nice win by just under two lengths from Chalaza with Lim’s Shot third.
Bao Shan Magic, the former NZ galloper ran to a new career and above his previous win in the Class 4, also over 1200m.
Still relatively lightly raced, the five-year-old gelding appears to have more improvement to come and is one to follow going forward.
Favourtie of the race Sir Isaac, who was also coming off a last start win had no luck back in the field finding plenty of trouble but still picked up well late to hit the line strongly.
Previous form has shown he has ability and wherever he goes next he will be extremely hard to beat.
Friday night saw a very competitive Initiation over 1100m on the Polytrack, with former kiwi galloper Dutrow producing a terrific effort to beat Sattar by two and a half lengths.
Running second to Grand Torino in his Singapore debut, Dutrow settled in a very good spot off the leaders before taking the lead at the 300m and holding off Sattar who peaked on his run.
Running a much higher rating than his first up effort, the lightly raced four-year-old will now look to work through the grades and certainly appears to have a lot more improvement to come.
Sattar in second would have lost no admirers in second, placed in all three career runs to date.
The Ricardo Le Grange-trained runner has run a similar rating in all three outings and it only appears a matter of time until he breaks through.
