Champion jockey Manoel Nunes rates his El Dorado Classic ride Darshini as a live chance on Sunday.
The English-bred five-year-old son of Sir Percy is one of those horses who has discreetly gone through the motions, winning one race and sticking around as the trips lengthened, to suddenly find themselves with a half-decent shot at Group 3 glory in the $150,000 feature race over 2200m.
If things pan out as planned, he could even aim higher in three weeks’ time, the Group 1 Dester Singapore Gold Cup (2200m) on November 12.
Nunes admitted that the leap in class looks daunting on paper, but the fact Darshini is a true-blue stayer should put him in good stead for a forward result.
“Darshini is a real stayer. He ran second to Perfect P over 2000m two runs back and I have no doubt he can get the 2200m trip,” said the Brazilian hoop.
“At his last start, he ran a good fourth to Chairman and he had 58.5kgs then while Chairman had 53.5kgs. This time they carry the same light weight (Darshini on 51kgs and Chairman on 50.5kgs).
“(Trainer Mohd) Yusof has done a great job with these European horses. He takes his time and doesn’t rush them.
“Such horses take time to acclimatise and Darshini was no different, but these horses seem to run well for Yusof.”
Nunes said Darshini has been working a treat and seems to have peaked at the right time, with another lofty target locked away in three weeks’ time.
“Obviously, the aim is to make it for the Gold Cup. If he wins, he gets his ticket, but I think a good run should still be okay, he will get in at a light weight,” said Nunes.
“I’ve won on him before and I knew from that day already he was a good stayer in the making.”
The race Nunes is referring to is at the Lucky Stable-owned Darshini’s third start in a Kranji Stakes C race over 1800m. He has not won again since but the quality of the cattle he has competed against were also better for instance the likes of Mr Scorsese, Arhat and Certainly.
“It’s a big field no doubt, but I think it’s also a very open field,” said Nunes.
“There is no standout and my horse is well. He has also drawn perfectly in gate No 7.
“Yusof is a good conditioner of stayers and I am sure he’s had him spot-on for Sunday. Whether he makes it for the Gold Cup, we will see.”
Yusof is no stranger to Gold Cup success as he has won the time-honoured race once with Smart Bet in 2002, the highest handicap (59kgs) a horse ever won the race since Saas Fee (62kgs) in 1980.
Nunes has also picked up the plum ride on Countofmontecristo in the $700,000 Group 1 Raffles Cup (1800m) on the same day, mostly because his Panasonic Kranji Mile winning ride Infantry is out through injury and Glen Boss has jumped off.
He is looking forward to the ride on the gutsy son of Echoes Of Heaven, even if he wished he could have ridden him at least once in trackwork.
“I didn’t get a chance to ride him in trackwork, but I’ve seen his replays and I know how good he is,” he said.
“He is a straightforward horse to ride and I will definitely have a few words with Glen about him before the race. The only query is the 1800m, but I’m really excited to be riding him in the Raffles Cup.”
