The fields for Singapore's two International Group 1 races on May 19 – the $3 million Singapore Airlines International Cup and the $1 million KrisFlyer International Sprint – have attracted a good array of sprinters, middle distance performers and stayers from around the world.
Photo by Racing and Sports
The SIA Cup field is the strongest line-up in its 13 year history with the triple Group 1 winning German galloper Pastorius one of the banner acts for the 2000m event.
The Mario Hofer-trained German Derby winner finished fourth behind the champion Frankel in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at the end of his 2012 racing year last October and returned to racing with an impressive first-up success in the Group 1 Prix Ganay over 2100m at Longchamp on April 28.
Joining Pastorius from Europe are Red Cadeaux and Mull Of Killough. Red Cadeaux, the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Vase winner last December and prepared by Ed Dunlop, followed his second placing in the Emirates Dubai World Cup over 2000m on March 30 with a third placed finish in the Group 1 Tenno Sho over 3200m in Japan on April 28.
The in-form Mull Of Killough, trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam who campaigned Secret Asset in last year's KrisFlyer International Sprint, has been successful at his last three starts, including a first-up victory over 1800m at Newmarket last month.
Hong Kong will be represented by the John Moore-trained Military Attack. Moore is a regular visitor to Singapore for the international races and could not have a more in-form galloper than Military Attack who garnered his first International Group 1 win when impressively taking out The Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup at the end of April.
Hunter's Light, who arrived in Singapore on May 1, will represent Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor. The dual Group 1 winner was a last start seventh behind Animal Kingdom in the Dubai World Cup. Recent stable acquisition for trainer Doug Watson is Meandre, which finished just ahead of Hunter's Light in Dubai while two times previous winner Japan, returns for the first time since 2010 with the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Group 2 winner Capote Star.
Better Life and Flax head up the local contingent. Better Life, last year's Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup winner showed she was right on track with victory in the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth II Cup on April 26 while Flax finished third in last year's edition of the SIA Cup behind Chinchon and Zaidan.
Rounding out the local contenders are the Cliff Brown-trained Emirates Singapore Derby runner-up Deep Pockets, Patrick Shaw's Admiralty Classic Stakes winner Lizarre, Laurie Laxon's JBBA Moonbeam Vase winner Ready To Strike and a newcomer to the Michael Freedman yard Mawingo who will be making his debut for the stable in the SIA Cup.
For the first time since 2010, Australia will have a representative at the international meeting when the Jason Warren-prepared Bel Sprinter lines-up in the KrisFlyer International Sprint.
Australia has won the KrisFlyer two times previously with North Boy in 2002 and Takeover Target when the race resumed in 2008 and Bel Sprinter comes into this year's contest with excellent form credentials having won the Group 1 The Galaxy over 1100m at Rosehill before finishing third behind Black Caviar in the Group 1 TJ Smith at Randwick on April 13.
Much travelled Lucky Nine, prepared by Caspar Fownes, will be Hong Kong's representative. Balmont Mast, second in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen over 1200m at Meydan in March, the Japanese sprinter Dasher Go Go as well as Kavanagh and Dux Scholar complete the invited international runners.
Michael Freedman's Group 1 Lion City Cup quinella of Super Easy and Mr Big spearhead the local contingent along with Rocket Man, the 2011 KrisFlyer winner, who hasn't raced since winning the 2012 Lion City Cup.
Theo Kieser's Goalkeeper, Alvin Tan's Speedy Cat and the John O'Hara-trained Emerald Hill are the other local invited runners.
