A Better Tomorrow looming

When you are at the races on May 12, make a note of the James Peters-trained runners.

You may just pick out a winner – maybe a couple more.

The Englishman will be represented by just eight runners on the day but he was a busy man trackside on May 8, when almost all of his runners came out for a slice of morning trackwork.

Impressive among them were A Better Tomorrow, Fast And Fearless and Fountain Of Fame.

Of the three, A Better Tomorrow – topweight in the penultimate card of 10 races on May 12 – drew the most attention.

He had race-rider Ruan Maia in the saddle when running the 600m in 39.3sec.

The Brazilian jockey was also astride Fountain Of Fame, engaged in Race 8, who ran out the trip in 41.4.

As for Fast And Fearless, who will be ridden by champion jockey Manoel Nunes in the opening event, he strode out in 37.9.

But, on an overcast morning at Kranji, A Better Tomorrow seemed to tick all the boxes.

One of the young ones in Peters’ yard, the four-year-old by Awesome Rock will have track and trip in his favour.

Yes, the mile on the grass suits. On March 17, in an Open Maiden race over 1,600m on turf, the Australian-bred gelding won with some authority despite travelling wide throughout.

That day, A Better Tomorrow gave Ryan Curatolo the first leg of a treble – the Frenchman went on to score on Commander Jones and Energy Baby.

For a while, it did seem like a second win would follow that showing.

But it was not to be on March 30. With Curatolo astride again, he finished second, beaten more than four lengths by Jungle Cruise in a Class 5 1,700m contest on the Polytrack.

Then came that race on April 13.

That day, A Better Tomorrow was like an item on sale in a department store.

Racegoers flocked to the windows and backed him down to $24.

Alas, the Jaden Lloyd-ridden first favourite could only finish second, going down by a nose to Pacific Spirit in a similar Class 5 event over 1,700m on the Polytrack.

Well, that is all yesterday’s stuff. What Peters will surely be waiting for is, well, A Better Tomorrow.

And on the back of his eye-catching workout on May 8, he could be trotting up to the winner’s circle again for another photo-taking session on May 12.

Then there is Fast And Fearless.

He will contest the opening event on May 12 and Peters might just be looking at an early pop of the bubbly.

Already a seven-year-old, the son of Iffraaj is still racing like a feisty juvenile.

While his last win was on Nov 25, 2023 – that was when he took out a 1,000m sprint by almost a length – his next seven runs have all been noteworthy.

Forget that sixth-place effort behind Supermax, when he was checked – his six other races have helped add money to the kitty.

He was second on March 23, finished third on three occasions and was fourth on March 9 and April 6.

At his last start on April 21, he received a check near the 400m which put paid to his chances.

He eventually finished third in that 1,100m race won by Hey Boss.

Fast And Fearless meets some formidable rivals on May 12, such as last-start winner Pacific Scout, Tax Free and Sirius, but he will certainly not go down without a fight.

In Fountain Of Fame, Peters has another seven-year-old who also does not seem to realise that he is getting long in the tooth.

Forget his last two outings over 1,200m on the Polytrack, where he finished down the course.

Instead, focus on those two runs prior, when the Charm Spirit progeny finished second to Pacific Charm on Feb 17 and third to Pacific General on March 17.

Both efforts, also over 1,200m on the Polytrack, were admirable.

And, on the strength of his most recent hit-out on the training track, the New Zealand-bred bears watching when he faces the starter on May 12.

brian@sph.com.sg