Get ready to shout Hip Hip Hooray
After two fair unplaced efforts, HIP HIP HOORAY looks set to return to the winner's circle on Sunday.
The bay five-year-old has returned to top form, judging by his recent trial win and swift hit-out at Kranji yesterday morning.
Taken out by regular jockey Glen Boss, Hip Hip Hooray warmed up by cantering one lap on the Polytrack before clocking 34.9sec for the final 600m of his second lap. He pulled up without raising a sweat and walked calmly back to the stables.
Just last week, Hip Hip Hooray won his 1,000m barrier trial in cavalier fashion and clocked under one minute (59.56sec) with 63kg on his back.
Before his last two runs, the New Zealand-bred gelding won first-up in a fast 1min 10sec over the 1,200m on turf and followed up with a narrow second to Poseidon.
The two horses will meet again in Sunday's Open Benchmark 83 event over 1,200m and Poseidon will be conceding 2kg to Hip Hip Hooray.
But the race promises to be an exciting affair with several other top guns in it, namely topweight Viviano, last-start winner Aramco, who goes in with a handy 51.5kg and Cyborg, who is coming back to hand.
Hip Hip Hooray looks the best of trainer David Kok's eight entries for the next two race days and a win by his best bet will take him closer to the 200-winner mark in his career. Kok is currently on 198 winners.
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