Trainer Sam Chua is hoping sheer class will see stable newcomer Nandowra make light of his top impost in his bid to take Singapore’s first feature of the new 2014 season, the $200,000 Group 3 New Year Cup (1900m) next Wednesday.
The prolific Savabeel six-year-old already has three Group 3 wins under his belt – the Moonbeam Vase, Polytrack Mile Championship and Yew Tee Classic Stakes - but all earned while prepared by trainer Michael Freedman at his first 32 starts that also yielded six other wins in Singapore.
Recently purchased by the Honest Wind Stable, Nandowra made his race debut for Chua at his last start on December 8 in the Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes (1700m), running sixth to Stepitup after trying to make all.
Though his charge was beaten, Chua was not too disappointed with that first outing, confident that Nandowra, who is named after a road in rural New South Wales, Australia, can get back on track in much easier company in the New Year Cup which is run on Polytrack, over which he scored four times.
Chua did change up the headgear in the Colonial Chief Stakes, switching from his usual winkers to a shadow roll, but with the benefit of hindsight, is going back to square one.
But it is the big pull in the handicaps which is weighing the heaviest on the Singaporean conditioner’s mind at the moment. Slapped with the steadier of 59kgs in the handicap feature, Nandowra is giving nine kilos all round bar one – Street Legal, who is weighted at 54kgs.
“He’s fit and well. Though I’ve had him only for a short while, he’s an easy horse to train and it was just a matter of maintaining his form,” said Chua. “He’s a tough horse and never gives up a fight.
“At his first start for me, he jumped well, but carried his head high and was a bit keen. That’s why I’m dropping the shadow roll and putting the winkers back on.
“I’m not too worried about the gear, though. It’s the big weight he is giving away to his rivals which is a bigger question mark.
“But I hope class will see him overcome that. The New Year Cup was a race I’ve always had in mind for him.
“The field is not as tough as the last one he met. I think he should be the horse to beat if he runs up to his best form.”
For the steering job, Chua is sticking with jockey John Sundradas whom he has also booked for the ride aboard another ex-Freedman, last-start winner Cavallo, who is entered in the $125,000 Open race over 1400m on turf.
“Cavallo is well and we’re giving him another run over 1400m. He last ran over that trip three starts back, but I think he didn’t like it too hard on that day,” said Chua.
“He prefers a softer track. I hope it rains on that day.”
Chua revealed that both Nandowra and Cavallo were purchased in a double deal from Freedman, but only Cavallo was transferred outright initially.
“The new owners had already bought him (Nandowra), but after he won the Yew Tee Classic Stakes, they decided to let him run in the previous owner’s (Results Stable) colours as a show of goodwill,” he explained.
“It would be great if Nandowra could now win a race for his new owners, just like Cavallo (three wins for new owners).”
Chua, who has only two “black type” wins to his name (Committee’s Prize in 2009 and Moonbeam Vase in 2010) in his six years of training, would love nothing less than a triumph in the season opener’s main race just to let his momentum build from there.
“I’ve had a pretty good year in 2013. With 37 winners, I can’t complain, even if it’s not as good as the 2012 season which was by far my best season (fifth overall on 49 winners),” he said.
“It’s not that my horses are not performing as well. It’s just that there is a better spread of horses among the trainers now, and that can only make our racing more competitive.
“I’ve got a couple of new three-year-olds for the new season. Hopefully, I can have another good year.”
