Bringer Of War out to avenge his defeat, Latest Racing News - The New Paper
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Bringer Of War out to avenge his defeat

Walker hopes his filly can get the better of her conqueror Charger Whether she has improved by more lengths than the winner (Charger), I don't know, but I hope so. She will have to beat him again. - Trainer Mark Walker, on Bringer Of War

BRINGER OF WAR was the beaten short-priced favourite in the first leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series and trainer Mark Walker thinks it won't be a simple task to turn the tables on her nemesis CHARGER on Sunday.

Sent out as the $8 favourite in the Kranji Nursery Stakes over the Polytrack 1,000m on April 14, mostly on the strength of her two-from-two barrier trial wins, the New Zealand-bred filly by Burgundy led out the small seven-horse field for jockey R Shafiq but was pegged back by John O'Hara's runner Charger, a $32 shot.

Two weeks have elapsed and the two juveniles will again clash in Sunday's $90,000 Singapore Silver Horseshoe over the same Poly 1,000m in Race 5, amongst a field which also includes three other first-leg runners, Hun Yeang Road (third), Auspicious Day (fifth) and Monster Energy (seventh).

The new faces are Six Empire, Whistling Win and Antheia while Yaya Papaya has already had two starts in Restricted Maiden company without saluting.

Walker is under no illusions Bringer Of War will again have Charger as the main rival to beat, even if the Dick Turpin colt has picked up a two-kilo penalty. To the Kiwi handler, two-year-olds and their progress are not easy to evaluate so early in their careers.

"She needed the first experience. The winner was superior and beat her fair and square," said the 2015 Singapore champion trainer.

"It's hard to know if she has really improved from that first run, as they're all two-year-olds with not much exposed form.

"She is quite a professional, though. She has a lovely brain and has a good attitude about her.

"Whether she has improved by more lengths than the winner, I don't know, but I hope so. She will have to beat him again."

Whether she has improved by more lengths than the winner (Charger), I don't know, but I hope so. She will have to beat him again. Trainer Mark Walker, on Bringer Of War

Walker is certainly not overlooking the other two-year-olds as he is well aware one or two could pop out of the woodwork and upstage them on the day. To him, the second leg is anything but a rematch between Charger and Bringer Of War.

With Shafiq suspended, it is three-time Singapore champion jockey Manoel Nunes who has been booked on the Jubilant Racing No 5 Stable-owned filly on Sunday.

"Nunes galloped her and was pretty happy with her work," said Walker, who forged a successful relationship with the Brazilian at his previous premiership-winning seasons, but not quite so this year, even if it is gaining traction.