Useful stayer Arhat is back racing with assistant-trainer Michael White not expecting a win first-up but neither would he be surprised if he makes his presence felt.
“He goes well fresh, even if it’s a bit short for him, but one race at a time. Whatever he does he will improve on that run,” said Michael Clements’ right-hand man on Thursday.
The Iffraaj six-year-old is resuming in Sunday’s $100,000 Class 2 race over 1400m, five months after his last Kranji outing when fifth to Saraab in a Class 3 race over 1700m.
White said the yard would play it by ear with the four-time winner (1600m to 2000m) with the longer distance races, albeit less common nowadays, to be his mainstay along the way.
“It’s the first time he’s had a decent break. He’s really developed into a stronger horse since,” said the Australian horseman.
“He’s 20kg up but not for lack of extra condition. He’s actually become fitter and more filled out.
“He’s still lightly-raced. I always thought he was of above-average ability but just needed to gain in maturity, which I feel he has now.”
Clements and connections actually held high aspirations for the New Zealand-bred early doors, but White said the “stars had not aligned”.
“He was supposed to be our Gold Cup horse in the last two years, but somehow, things just didn’t work out,” said White.
“Either he wasn’t ready or he could never quite run in the right class as he’s always been hovering in the 72-75 points region.
“But I feel the stars have aligned for him this time. He has really come on in the last eight weeks and the penny may finally drop for him.”
To be ridden by Alan Munro, who was his last winning partner (in a Class 3 race over 1700m on June 26, 2017), Arhat has been put through only one barrier trial in the run-up to his racing comeback. He dropped to second-last upon dispatch before easing his way into fifth place without looking like he had come out of second gear, only just over two lengths astern from the winner Golden Sword (Michael Rodd).
“He had just the one trial and took it easy. I was very happy with that trial,” said White.
“There is no real plan with him. The Gold Cup is ultimately his main goal, even if it’s been dropped to 2000m this year.
“In a perfect world, we would have preferred 2200m but we are all in the same boat and 2000m is fine.”
The Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup will be dropped from 2200m to 2000m for the time this year and will be run on November 11.
White and Clements won’t have to worry about such long-range targets this weekend given the immediate attention the strong armada they are saddling between Friday and Sunday (seven and four respectively) will command, with the likes of Only Win, Yabadabadoo, Siam Gemstone (Friday) and Stock Broker (Sunday) leading hopes in their respective contests.
“We’ve got a good team going around this week,” said White.
“Only Win has won his last two in a row, but this will be a big test for him ($80,000 Kranji Stakes C race over 1600m). We are happy where he is at; he’s come a long way in a short time, and he may go for a freshen-up after that race.
“Yabadabadoo ran a good race first-up and he should run well, too (in the $80,000 Class 3 race over 1200m). Siam Gemstone is in the same race; he won well at his last race (Class 4 Non Premier) but he will be up in class this time.”
Clements, who has been riding on a crest of wave since the start of the new season and currently lies in second place on 12 winners (two behind leader Steven Burridge) has booked Munro on Only Win while the two French jockeys Ryan Curatolo and Olivier Placais bring some Gallic flair to the Yabadabadoo and Siam Gemstone duo respectively.
