A host of high-class gallopers from here and around the world will once again take centre stage at Kranji with the running of the Singapore Airlines International Cup and KrisFlyer International Sprint.
Trainer John Moore, who made it 1-2 in the SIA Cup, will also bring along runner-up DAN EXCEL, who ran third in last Sunday's Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin and a top-class KrisFlyer raider in recent Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) winner STERLING CITY.
Two other trainers vying for the SIA Cup the second year running are Doug Watson and Jane Chapple-Hyam. American but United Arab Emirates-based Watson had no luck with Meandre (SIA Cup) and Dux Scholar (KrisFlyer) last year, but will hope for a better result in the SIA Cup with LIMARIO, a German-bred who has also competed creditably in Dubai while Australian-born but English-based Chapple-Hyam will have another crack at the SIA Cup with MULL OF KILLOUGH, who ran fifth for Great Britain last year.
Japan will line up last year's Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (2000m) runner-up, the Hisashi Shimizu-trained TOKEI HALO, their first SIA Cup runner in the last five years, but an even longer absentee, the United States, will make a comeback after nine years, with the Darrell Vienna-trained SI SAGE, a group performer in France before moving to America.
Two other marquee names to join the 2000m showpiece this year are SIDE GLANCE and SMOKING SUN. The well-travelled SIDE GLANCE is probably better remembered for his Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) win for Andrew Balding during the Spring Carnival at Flemington last year.
Prepared by 2009 SIA Cup-winning trainer Pascal Bary (Gloria De Campeao), SMOKING SUN is the recent winner of the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt at Longchamp.
Besides LUCKY NINE and STERLING CITY, the KrisFlyer has attracted a duo of sprinters from Ireland, namely BALMONT MAST and RUSSIAN SOUL, and one from Great Britain, MEDICEAN MAN, but trained by the Australian-born Jeremy Gask.
Irish trainer Edward Lynam is bringing BALMONT MAST for another crack at the KrisFlyer after his creditable fourth last year while his fellow countryman Michael Halford, who saddled Invincible Ash in the KrisFlyer in 2012, returns with this year's Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint (1200m) winner RUSSIAN SOUL while MEDICEAN MAN is also a regular Dubai campaigner who ran a close-up fourth to Amber Sky in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint (1000m).
The local contingent is again well represented in both races. The SIA Cup charge will be headed by last year's Group 1 Longines Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) winner TROPAIOS and three of the first four home in the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m), WILD GEESE, JOHNNY GUITAR and CITY LAD.
The KrisFlyer, which stayed on home soil twice when Rocket Man (2011) and Ato (2012) held court against the overseas horses, has drawn a fine array of Singapore's top sprinters, headed by arch-rivals ZAC SPIRIT and EMPEROR MAX, respectively winner and runner-up in this year's Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) and Group 3 Kranji Sprint (1200m).
Also in the mix are sprinting stalwarts like Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m) winner EL PADRINO, CAPTAIN OBVIOUS (fourth in 2012 KrisFlyer), GOAL KEEPER and SLEW OF LODE.
