One is half the age of the other, so do you prefer Simply The Best or Amadeus Mozart today in the feature ninth event on the card?
Photo by Singapore Turf Club
Simply The Best resumes in the S$75K Kranji Stakes C sprint over 1200m on the poly and has in three runs on the all weather circuit won twice and finished a close third fresh up the other time after a tough trip.
He has won before first up and at his favourite distance and after a 1kg claim looks a bonafide hit at 57kg from gate four.
The gelding is G3 placed (on turf) and the only times he has missed paying a dividend came at his last two starts, namely at G2 and G1 against Gingerbread Man in the three-year-old triple crown last season.
Now a four-year-old and having been trialled up numerously in the last five weeks, he will be more than ready to belt out a star performance.
His trainer Desmond Koh has seen his charge win the last three trials (all on the poly, as it is the only trial surface used) and run faster time in each outing.
He may not have beaten much but the son of Stratum will be at concert pitch to resume and I see him as music to the wallets of bettors.
Amaedus Mozart is an eight-year-old and still able to show up the wannabe's in the sprinting ranks with eleven wins and twenty top three's too his name.
The gelding has won five times on the poly, so can mix it with the modern deejays on the synthetic scene and trainer Pat Shaw has him in rocking good order at the moment.
Last start he fought on gamely for fifth on the poly behind Rocket Man (yes that very same star currently in Hong Kong with a Sha Tin G1 hurdle to clear).
He may not have won since May this year and was last a victor on the poly in December of 2008 but you would advised not too leave him out today.
A 3kg claim will see him carry 56.5kg from gate six and he has two wins from that barrier so far in his career.
I thought his trial second behind a smart youngster in Niceone last month showed he still has a successful Singapore symphony left in him.
The last time he raced against a Kranji Stakes C field was late October in 2008 on the poly and he finished second under 58kg to My Hero.
In fact he has met this class four times for a win and three seconds, so will find the event today a very manageable composition.
If you do not want to back the classical sprinter in Amadeus Mozart or the rock 'n' roll sprinter Simply The Best then there are plenty of other options in the field.
Won't Stop even under a crushing 59.5kg can put his rivals on a red light while he is on green.
The former Malaysian sprinter can run fast time and since coming to Singapore has tried the poly three times for two devastating wins and a fourth in a Benchmark 83 behind Dr Grigoros.
The four-year-old last raced in October when third on the turf over 1400m in a Benchmark 89 behind The Comedian and it showed his trainer Leslie Khoo the future of this gelding.
A recent trial has Won't Stop sharp enough for his attempt to carry a career high impost by 2.5kg from the stall of seven.
Squall Line has won three of his four races on the poly and has not had much go his way in a fresh up September outing and a last start freshened up run early November.
The last time he met Kranji Stakes C it saw him win and he did so from barrier eleven under 58kg, with the success coming in December last year.
K B Soo, who wants a permanent supply of riding goggles for Christmas from Santa since he throws so many to the adoring Kranji fans when he comes back to scale a winner, will be reunited with Squall Line.
He rode it in the first three starts at Singapore for two wins and a fourth and knows well how to get the best out of the gelding.
The pair of claiming starters Hammer Down (4kg relief) and Finderskeepers (3kg relief) have either never run on the poly under raceday/night conditions or are yet to pay a dividend on it.
The former is definitely ready to win third up having already scored in that state when trained in New Zealand but gate eight is awkward.
The latter has drawn the ace and that is often the golden gate to poly success.
Williams is a three-time poly winner and Excelify just a single winner on the all weather, so hard to label either of them surefire.
Excelify last won in May of last year and Williams in January this year.
Bettors are missing so many top riders to follow financially near the end of the year that they are betwixt and between just what and who to back.
Indecisions is rife.
So many of their wagering go-to-guys have left the city limits and will not be back until next year or perhaps never again.
Simply The Best came about as a result of clearing Nutbush City Limits for Tina Turner and bettors are advised to hum that winning tune today as he really is better than all the rest.
Enjoy the race.
