With four mementos of the Merlion Trophy sitting proudly atop his mantelpiece, it is fair to say trainer Alwin Tan has had a bit of luck with the Polytrack sprint feature.
Trainer Laurie Laxon’s record of five wins would be next in his sights, but Tan did not sound too confident the milestone would be for this year.
Tan has certainly developed an affinity with the race previously known as Fischer Stakes until 2007. After obtaining his trainer’s licence at Kranji in 2009, he captured his first feature race with Speedy Cat in the then-Group 3 race in 2013.
The win would pave the way to other big races down the road, notably the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby and Group 1 Lion City Cup, but one achievement the Singaporean still looks back fondly on is his haul of four Merlion Trophies.
After Speedy Cat, he made it back-to-back with El Padrino winning in 2014 and 2015 before Infantry joined the honour roll last year when the Merlion Trophy was elevated to Group 2 status – and was for the last time slated as the first Leg of the Singapore Sprint Series.
This year, Tan has two Nova Racing Stable-owned gallopers geared towards the race which will be run on April 27 as the second Leg, and has a purse hiked from $350,000 to $500,000 – Nova Swiss and Nova Missile.
Tan would certainly not mind the good trot continuing, especially with the higher financial benefits dangling ahead, but his tone was measured regarding his Nova duo.
“The Merlion Trophy is a special race for me. I would love to win it again, but I think it will be a challenge this year,” said Tan.
“There are better horses running in, and I think my two horses may find it hard against them.
“Still, they’re both doing well and I can’t complain with the way they are coming along.”
Nova Missile actually bounced back to form in smashing style at his last start, burning up the Polytrack from a wide gate to go all the way in a Kranji Stakes B race over 1000m.
The Merlion Trophy will be a different kettle of fish, but the I Am Invincible four-year-old will give Tan another guide where he is at this Sunday in the $80,000 Class 2 race over 1200m on Polytrack with last-start winning partner Benny Woodworth back on.
“Nova Missile is drawn better this time which will be to his advantage. He will again carry some weight (57kgs) and give away weight to his rivals, but I think he can handle it,” said Tan.
“He has maintained his form and galloped very well on Saturday. Benny rode him and was very happy with him.
“Since Manoel Nunes left, we had to reshuffle the rides on the Nova Racing Stable horses. We gave this one to Benny and he has done a very good job with him.”
It is French jockey Olivier Placais who will partner Nova Swiss in the Merlion Trophy. The pair finished a head-second to Yulong Xiongyin in a barrier trial on Tuesday.
The reigning Polytrack champion horse has not done anything earth-shattering this year in three runs, but Tan is hopeful the adage that “form is temporary, class is permanent” holds true for the Swiss Ace four-year-old.
“I was very happy with Nova Swiss’s trial yesterday. That will top him off nicely for the Merlion Trophy,” said Tan.
“Olivier said he could feel the horse was better after a bit of a break. He said his action was very good.
“He will run next Sunday in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1000m.”
Placais actually rode Nova Swiss once – and by coincidence in last year’s Merlion Trophy when beaten close home by stablemate Infantry.
“The horse felt good. I put him on the rails and he led quite well, but when Benny’s horse (Yulong Xiongyin) came up, I got him to work a little harder as he hasn’t raced for a while and I wanted him to open up his lungs a little,” said Placais.
“I think he has improved from his last run (10th to Distinctive Darci) but there is still some work to be done on him.
“He’s running first-up next week. He should be fit enough to run, but whether he can win, we’ll see.
“Whatever he does, he will improve from that run going towards the Merlion Trophy.”
Placais became available for the ride on Nova Swiss after it was decided that Nova Swiss’s stablemate Super Fortune would bypass the Merlion Trophy following his disappointing sixth to Aramco in the first Leg of the Singapore Sprint Series last Sunday, the Group 3 JBBA Rocket Man Sprint (1200m).
It was arguably the Mossman four-year-old’s worst race at Kranji to-date. He has never finished worse than third in eight previous starts that read five wins, two seconds and one third.
“Super Fortune won’t run in the Merlion Trophy. He will take a break and we will aim him directly at the Lion City Cup,” said Tan.“Oli said he was in a good spot in the race but when he asked for an effort, he did not respond. Hopefully the freshen-up will help him come back to his best.”
The $1 million Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) is the third and final Leg of the series and will be part of a glamour triple-Group 1 twilight meeting highlighted by the invitational $1.5 million Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) and the $1 million Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) on Saturday, May 26.
