13TH EDITIONS - EMIRATES SINGAPORE DERBY (SIN 4yo Gr-1)
2000m A (Short Course) (Set Weights)
(3RD LEG - S'PORE 4YO CHALLENGE) (RIDER ALLOWANCES NOT PERMITTED)
- PRIZE MONEY: S$ 1,000,000-00

RACE 9 • TIME: 5:55 PM – SUNDAY, 13 JULY, 2008

SELECTIONS & COMMENTS:
PEDIGREE POWER'S HYPOTHESIS “A”:
1st - #9 - EL DORADO (JPN)
2nd - #1 - TOP SPIN (AUS)
3rd - #6 - STEDMAN (NZ)
4th - #4 - PHENOM (AUS)

PEDIGREE POWER’S HYPOTHESIS “B”:
1st - #1 - TOP SPIN (AUS)
2nd - #9 - EL DORADO (JPN)
3rd - #6 - STEDMAN (NZ)
4th - #4 - PHENOM (AUS)


Every year when there is a Derby Race in Singapore, you can find all the Singapore based top 4 year olds competing for the Blue Riband event at the expense of Emirates Airline sponsorship. This year Emirates Airline is sponsoring this race for the 13th years.
About three years ago in July, 2005, when HELLO AND GOODBYE (NZ) won, it provided formerly NEW ZEALAND BASED TRAINER BRUCE MARSH a masterly of his training prowess when he won it in his few months of operation in Singapore.
About three years ago in July, 2005, when HELLO AND GOODBYE (NZ) won, it provided formerly NEW ZEALAND BASED TRAINER BRUCE MARSH a masterly of his training prowess when he won it in his few months of operation in Singapore। It also provided the winning horse owners: MR & MRS LUI YONG HOCK the best gift bestowed to them after being a horse owner for the last 3 decades but tragically, HELLO AND GOODBYE (NZ) met with a freakish morning track work accident months later after the historic win and was humanely put down. That Derby day in July, 2005, the hot favorite ROYAL CAPTAIN (NZ) broke his both forelegs when clipped the heels of stablemate MOUNT STREET (NZ) at the 900m mark from the winning post and was humanely put down.
Last year in 2007, it was won by the race outsider - LIM’S PRESTIGE (NZ) with last minute substituted Singaporean Jockey Din Azis in replaced of the indispose Panamanian born Jockey Oscar Chavez and gave formerly NEW ZEALAND BASED TRAINER STEPHEN GRAY and Singapore big time horse owner: LIM’S STABLE their first big race success in this series.
This year, I do find four top stayers in the making and it’s quite hard to differentiate their class and mettle and the rest of the field are made up of mostly Class 3 and Class 2 horses trying to find dream of winning this prestigious event। I have shortlist the 13 runners to 4 runners eyeing for this 13th Editions Emirates Airline sponsored Singapore Derby Race which has been an annual affair at the Kranji Racecourse since its grand opening in 1999 but the Singapore Derby has been run for more than 5 decades (since 1959) at the old Bukit Timah Racecourse and opened for all ages.
From what I have envisaged, TOP SPIN (AUS) will be the hot favorite. His experience over 2000m and above was in last year S$ 1.25 Million 2007 Singapore Gold Cup (SIN Open Gr-1) 2200m after running 3rd to the top rigeling RECAST (AUS) in open all ages company as a 3 year old and as a 4 year old ran 3rd to TRIGGER EXPRESS (AUS) in this year 2008 Singapore Queen Elizabeth II Cup (SIN 4yo+ Gr-2) 2000m. The two feature races that TOP SPIN (AUS) won were the 2008 Singapore 4 year old Mile (SIN 4yo Gr-3) 1600m Turf and the 2008 Singapore Chairman’s Trophy (SIN 4yo+ Gr-1) 1800m Turf.
Will the voodoo of ROYAL CAPTAIN (NZ) do persist again this year to stop a favorite from winning? TOP SPIN (AUS) simply oozed the class here after so many runs under his belt in the Premier Class at Kranji Racecourse। He will be the horse to beat but his records and experiences over 2000m and above were two runs only and his turbo charge and urge always seems to switch off when hitting front after 1800m and he seems to be idling away. I do think he is a better miler or a good horse at 1800m maximum. Give him another 5 months; he will mature and mellow with age to stay 2000m and above.
Every year many favorites just could not make it and I do think EL DORADO (JPN) might upset all calculation. His sire STAY GOLD (JPN) won the 2001 HK$12 Million Hong Kong International Vase (HK 3yo+ Gr-1) 2400m in which he defeated Frankie Dettori ridden and UAE Godolphin Racing Stable, Inc., owned EKRAAR (USA).
STAY GOLD (JPN) went on to win the Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE Gr-2) 2400m the following March, 2002 at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse, Dubai, UAE when he defeated World Horse of the Year, the UAE Godolphin Racing Stable, Inc, owned FANTASTIC LIGHT (USA). Now the Dubai Sheema Classic has been awarded Group 1 status and its stakes has been raised to US$ 5 Million. STAY GOLD (JPN) defeated UAE Godolphin Racing Stable, Inc. two heavyweight Champions.
Although STEDMAN (NZ) is owned by the same connection of MUMMIFY (AUS), the 1st Aussie bred to win the Singapore Airlines International Cup (SIN Gr-1) 2000m in year 2005 but STEDMAN (NZ) is not MUMMIFY (AUS) and is too soon to evaluate his progress as he needs more mileages to log in and its quite impossible task for him to slot in the first place with just 3 runs under his belt in Singapore. Let's wait for the next well prepared horse from the Freedman family from downunder. For a horse that has performed well in Cranbourne, Victoria, Australia doesn’t means much here.
Like father like son, I think EL DORADO (JPN)’S stamina from his staying bloodlines and his mettle can beat TOP SPIN (AUS), STEDMAN (NZ) and PHENOM (AUS). It's a funny game in racing and it happened.
TOP SPIN (AUS) is the horse to beat and EL DORADO (JPN) staying power can seize the race. Every horseman will have different perspectives prior to a race and to evaluate at different angle. Many would debate that a good staying horse would inherit their parent’s genes and out of the 13 runners in this field, EL DORADO (JPN) is the only true blood Middle Distance Runner (2000m to 2400m) that he inherited from both his well-known Sire and Dam. The disadvantage that he is facing is that he is the only Northern Hemisphere bred in this field and racing at set weight condition stipulated by Singapore Racing Jurisdiction (by right he is suppose to carry 54 kgs). His other 12 older rivals are Southern Hemisphere breds that will be celebrating their Universal Birthday turning 5-y-o in a fortnight time on 1 August, 2008 whilst EL DORADO (JPN) as a Northern Hemisphere bred will be turning 5-y-o on 1 January, 2009 only. I would gather that the 4 months gap of age disadvantage might not hinder a rising star. He will be a force to be reckoned with in the near future for Singapore Horse Racing.
Can EL DORADO (JPN) to provide formerly JAPAN BASED TRAINER HIDEYUKI TAKAOKA with his lucky 3rd starts in the 13th Editions of Emirates Singapore Derby? Hideyuki Takaoka has saddled up 4th place in year 2005 with his Japanese bred charge: DIAMOND DUST (JPN) and 3rd place in year 2007 with his other Japanese bred charge: JADE (JPN)
I think EL DORADO (JPN) can make it after having scored over 2000m twice and 2200m once and his best time when racing in Class 3 was 2min 3।5 sec over the same course and equalled TRIGGER EXPRESS (AUS)’S timing in the Premier Class in this year 2008 Singapore Queen Elizabeth II Cup (SIN 4yo+ Gr-2) 2000m.
His dam WHITE LEAP (JPN) is by WHITE MUZZLE (GB), who can stay all day, won the 1993 Derby Italiano - Italian Derby (ITY 3yo Gr-1) 2400m WHITE MUZZLE (GB) is also the sire of SHADOW GATE (JPN), the 2nd Japanese bred that won the 2007 Singapore Airlines International Cup (SIN 3yo+ Gr-1) 2000m WHITE MUZZLE (GB) was sired by European and World Champion Racehorse of the century DANCING BRAVE (USA)
- pedigreepower@gmail.com