Trainer Shane Baertschiger sees plenty of upsides in his resuming galloper Elite Star but cautions he is still a horse who requires an experienced pair of hands to produce his best.
The Pins four-year-old racked up a promising record of two wins and four placings in nine starts at his first prep, but the one trait that stood out at all his outings was his reluctance to change legs at will.
John Powell rode him mostly at his first starts, followed by Manoel Nunes who spent time schooling him how to get on the right lead.
Fellow Brazilian jockey Elione Chaves was the one who coaxed the first win out of Elite Star in February as Nunes was then suspended. The two-time Singapore champion jockey jumped back on at his next start and duly won. Both wins were recorded over Polytrack sprints (1100m and 1200m).
Elite Star was then spelled after a narrow third place to Host The Nation in a Class 4 race over 1100m in April, and seems to have now come back fitter and stronger, except for that quirk of his that he has not quite shaken off yet.
“He still needs a lot of pushing to change his legs, but he’s improving. JP (Powell) has been riding him and said he was pretty much the same,” said Baertschiger.
“But he’s come back in good shape after the spell. There was nothing wrong with him; he needed a break and I just wanted to put him away for a while.
“He had two trials and did very well. He won the second trial last Thursday.”
Baertschiger holds the athletic bay in high regard not only for his sheer consistency but also for the quality of opposition he has been cutting his teeth against.
“He’s been a very consistent horse for us, he very rarely finished out of the placings,” said the Australian handler.
“He beat Royal Ruler at his second win and Royal Ruler has gone on to win in higher class since. He also once finished fourth to Magstock, who is another good horse.
“He’s more of a Polytrack horse and that’s the way I will keep it for now. It’s not a very strong Class 4 race this Friday, and fingers crossed, he goes all right.”
Baertschiger may have only three runners on Friday night, but the other two are also expected to figure prominently.
Last-start winner Gadawon looks to have decent claims in a $38,000 Kranji Stakes D race over 1200m while Winterfell, who made a sound debut in a two-year-old race over 1200m on July 15 when second to Queen Roulette - who went on to smash her older rivals in a Novice race last Friday - will have many admirers in the second race, the $65,000 Initiation race over 1200m.
“Winterfell ran very well at his first race. Hopefully he can frank that form on Friday,” said Baertschiger.
“He’s improved a couple of lengths since. He will have no weight on his back and it’s my apprentice Syafiq (Hazman) who will ride him again.”
Winterfell, who is named after a castle in the popular TV series Game Of Thrones, is a three-year-old grey by Showcasing and is raced by one of Baertschiger’s stalwart owners, the MA Racing Stable, better known for Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes winner Best Tothelign and Faaltless, among others.
