Trainer Steven Burridge gang-tackles the $80,000 Super Gold 2009 Stakes, a Class 3 race over 1400m with three leading hopes on Sunday.
While the astute handler would not split Hermano Menor, Luminiff Lad and Risky Rockefeller, he said they all had their fair share of chance in a very competitive line-up where the horse to beat is arguably Stephen Gray’s Lim’s Cruiser.
“It’s a very competitive race and all three horses are fit and well,” said the Australian.
“Of the three, Risky Rockefeller has drawn the most awkwardly in 11, but he gets back and he will be running on.”
Glen Boss, who has partnered the Muqbil six-year-old at his last two runs for a closing second to Shanghai Bund at his latest, is back from suspension and will stay in the saddle, while Burridge is assigning new partners for the other pair. Luminiff Lad, an Irish-bred by Iffraaj, will be ridden by apprentice jockey Salim Yusoff while he has given the ride aboard Hermano Menor (x Duporth) to visiting Tasmanian apprentice jockey Sigrid Carr.
“He is a touch suspect at the distance. I’m putting Salim on him for the first time, but the horse may find it a bit tough.
“I think one of the two between him and Hermano Menor can go forward. It should be a true run race.
“Hermano is an honest horse and always tries hard to win. He was a bit stiff at his last run and I’ve put Siggy on him this time, as I’m sure the three-kilo claim will help in a big way.”
After just the solitary ride aboard Karigara at his debut meeting last Friday, Carr, who is over for three weeks under the joint Thoroughbred Racing South Australia - Singapore Turf Club programme to gain some work experience in Singapore, has garnered a much bigger book of rides this weekend – 10 split between six on Friday (including Lim’s Greeting for Burridge) and four on Sunday.
“Siggy rode Karigara very well at her first ride here last week. The horse needs more ground and ran on well,” said Burridge.
“I’m also putting her on Lim’s Greeting on Friday, and hopefully we can help her break her duck in Singapore this week.”