While trainer Michael Freedman is enjoying the ski slopes with his family in Canada, his right-hand man James Peters (pictured) is tasked with the high-pressure job of keeping the yard gliding away in Singapore.
The young British senior track rider and his staff earned full marks right from Day 1. It was not an avalanche of winners, but more importantly, they were able to get off the mark with Distinction, no pun intended.
The even-money favourite saluted in the Rizuan Shafiq Stakes (1400m) at the New Year's meeting at Kranji last Sunday, emerging as the only winner from Freedman's quintet of runners that included other leading hopes such as Parfumier, High Tick and Mr Raffles.
That first 2012 winner may be out of the way, but Peters and his men won't be sleeping on their laurels this weekend. Stepping out from Freedman's formidable arsenal will be two of their better performers from 2011, Mr Big and Cash Luck.
The classy pair scored eight wins between them last year, with half of them as juveniles in yet another successful season that saw Freedman finish fifth on the log.
Mr Big (x Elusive Quality) took the mantle of top two-year-old with victories in the two features – the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe and the Group 3 Magic Millions Juvenile Championship, both 1200m events.
Following his debut success, which was registered in one of the seven Legs of the inaugural Singapore Golden Horseshoe series for two-year-olds, Cash Luck showed he was no slouch either when he went on to score a hat-trick of wins as a three-year-old, all over more ground – between 1400m and 1800m.
Although they both ended the year in defeat, they certainly look more than ready to resume their triumphant march in their new campaign.
Cash Luck (x Bradbury's Luck) will line up in the Open Benchmark 97 race over 1400m on Friday night while his stablemate takes centrestage in Sunday's Kranji Stakes C race over 1000m on Polytrack.
“I couldn't be happier with the way they have both been working since they came back,” said Peters.
“Mr Big had a small break after his last run and he trialled really well last week when he ran second to New Rose Wood. He's got a good barrier and we're expecting a good run from him first-up.
“Willy Tan (Wei Li) will ride him. The four-kilo claim will help him as he was given 58kg.
“He doesn't need the blinkers any more now that he is more experienced. We put blinkers on him before to keep him a bit more focused in his races.
“Cash Luck cannot be judged on his last run. It was a soft track and he wasn't happy on it from the start.
“He's also gone for a freshen and he's been doing everything right since we've brought him back.
“He's drawn a good barrier (No 1) this time and the light weight (50kg) should help him too (lightweight jockey John Sundradas takes the reins).
“The 1400m is a bit short but it will be a good gauge on whether he is going to Dubai or not.”
Freedman has pencilled in a possible trip to the annual Emirates racing carnival leading up to the rich Dubai World Cup meeting on March 31 for four of his runners – Better Be The One, The Comedian, Always Certain and Cash Luck, with only the former confirmed as Dubai-bound.
“Better Be The One is probably the only one who is confirmed to go,” said Peters. “Should he go, he will be leaving at the end of the month.
“It's still very tentative at this stage for the others. The boss gets back on Monday and he will decide who goes and who doesn't.”
The Australian trainer's appetite for overseas races was whetted when Better Be The One ran a cracking third in the Group 2 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m) at Meydan in Dubai last March.
Domestically, one assignment which is definitely on Mr Big's and Cash Luck's agenda is the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge, though Cash Luck will be restricted to only the last Leg, which is the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) on May 18.
The first two Legs are made up of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) on March 30 and the Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) on April 22. Gingerbread Man made a cleansweep of all three Legs last year.
“The first two races are more up the alley of Mr Big. They're too sharp for Cash Luck,” said Peters. “The Guineas is the one he will be aimed at.”
