Trainer Michael Clements was a keen observer at Thursday’s barrier trials where two of his up-and-coming three-year-olds were going around in two separate heats.

But not both will face the starter in next Sunday week’s $500,000 Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m), the third and final Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.

Peer Gynt, a surprising fourth at massive odds of 139-1 in the previous Leg, the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) on April 24, will run, but not impressive debut winner Alibi.

Ridden again by his Classic jockey Matthew Kellady, Peer Gynt ran second to another Guineas contender Rafaello in the trial while Alibi (Vlad Duric) strolled around for fifth about three lengths off the winner Cairo in the next trial.

While the Guineas was always Peer Gynt’s ultimate target from Day 1, Clements has picked an easier Graduation race over 1200m for Alibi, a son of Darci Brahma, on the Friday meeting before.

“I was away in Nepal when Alibi won on debut. He was really professional from the first day he arrived,” said Clements.

“A horse played up next to him in the gates, but he stayed calm and cool-headed throughout. He jumped out well and landed in a position where Vlad wanted him to be in.

“There was no clear passage in the home straight, but he got out in time. Vlad then dropped his whip, but he was still able to win first-up, which goes to show how good he is.

“After such a run, the temptation to run him in the Guineas was there, but to put a horse second-up over the mile when he doesn’t really have the mileage, and has to take on horses with a couple of preparations, it was probably not the right thing to do.

“He’s a horse that got here late as we wanted to give him more time to develop in New Zealand. He got here around three months ago, and the 3YO series have come too quickly for him.”

Clements, who last year won the first Leg of the Challenge (Group 3 Dester Singapore Three-Year-old Sprint over 1200m) with Kiwi Karma and did win the Singapore Guineas when the race was not yet part of the series and was only a Group 3 race, Revolte in 2009, said he was not at all surprised by Peer Gynt’s tough-as-nails run in the Classic.

“I had confidence he would run well even if nothing went his way in the lead-up and in the run,” said the Zimbabwean-born trainer about the son of Per Incanto, also the sire of one of the Guineas favourites, Magnum, who beat him into fourth by a head in the Classic.

“At his previous run in the 1200m Leg, it was a stop-and-start run and he was drawn wide. He had a bit of an interrupted run and that’s why I ran him in a trial before the second Leg.

“He was caught wide throughout but he toughed it out so well. Matty Kellady rode him very well.

“This year’s batch of three-year-olds is pretty strong, but going with his previous form around decent types, I was always confident he would be capable of that.

“He’s a very laid-back type of horse in his attitude. He’s actually quite a lazy horse in training, even if he ran second in his trial yesterday.

“That’s why he needed a trial as from the way he runs, he can get out of the way at times, even in his races. It was a reasonably quiet trial and I was pleased with that.

“I think he’s good enough for the Guineas and will be the big improver in that race. He was always going to be better over more ground.”

For the ride in the Guineas on May 15, Clements will stick with Kellady even if his previous bookings of the Ipoh-born rider have been few and far between.

“There weren’t many riders who wanted to take the ride. Matty doesn’t ride very often for me, but he was the one who does ride a lot among the jockeys available, and we needed an experienced jockey for a tricky horse like him,” said Clements.

“The owners (Jubilant Racing Stable) were happy to stick with him.”

Clements said he did have other three-year-olds in the mix other than Alibi, but Peer Gynt was finally the last horse standing.

“Astrojet beat Peer Gynt narrowly in that race where Alan (Munro) objected for Peer Gynt but it was overruled. He was a candidate but he’s out through injury,” said Clements.

“Chopin’s Nocturne ran well (fourth to Star Genius over 1200m) last Monday, but I didn’t want to back him up. He will also step up to the mile one day.”