Splinter can puncture some egos

Already a winner from just six starts, not to mention two second-placed finishes in good races, SPLINTER is a horse in a hurry.

And he does seem to be getting sharper.

Only yesterday on the training track, he earned a star beside his name for a faultless gallop in prepartion for his assignment on Sunday.

Taken out by Vlad Duric, who had the seat when Splinter ran second to Show Far Show Good just last month, the three-year-old zipped over the 600m in 36.4sec.

Now, all that's left is for him to bring that form to the races.

EXCELLED

A $70,000 purchase as a yearling, Splinter has excelled at the trials - winning a couple before being thown into the deep end, a Restricted Maiden race over the 1,200m.

That was in October last year. It was a winning baptism to Kranji racing and he won it after a fierce fight - lending justification to his send-off price of $7.

Two unplaced efforts followed before he took a four-month break. He returned in March and he padded up his bank balance with a second-placed run in a "Novice". Sent to the trials, he won one in a swift time of 59.96sec.

Then came that last start on May 14. He finished second - but not after having to race wide for most of the 1,400m trip.

Yesterday's hit-out was an ideal tune-up for Race 11 on Sunday. Sure, it looks to be a case of the three-year-old taking on older, more experienced horses. But trainer Bruce Marsh will ensure that he's sent out looking hard as a brick and I expect him to run a fine race.

Also on Sunday, two stablemates meet in Race 9 - the Kranji Stakes A sprint over the 1,400m.

OFFENSIVE WEAPONS

Trainer Shane Baertschiger, whose yard seems to be loaded with offensive weapons, has BEST TOTHELIGN and BLUE SWEDE both worked separately with stablemates yesterday morning.

Baertschiger had Matt Kellady take out Best Tothelign and Blue Swede.

Best Tothelign and COLONEL LINCOLN (John Powell) went together to clock 38.1sec for the 600m while Blue Swede, who might need more ground than Sunday's 1,400m, matched strides with KISS YOUR SONG to cover the distance in 37.6sec.

Kiss Your Song, who had Powell on the reins, is a colt entered for the Inglis Ready2Race Stakes for two-year-olds. It is going to be cracker of a contest and Kiss Your Song could be right in the mix, firing away at the business end of things.

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GALLOPS BY HORSES RUNNING ON SUNDAY

RACE 1: Apollo canter/39.4. French Vintage * (M Kellady) 37.8. Miss Streisand * (V Duric) canter/36.8. Big Regards 41.4.

RACE 2: Boy Wonder (M Nunes) 34.8. River Fortune 39.4. Mighty Phoenix (Beasley) 38.8. Bringer Of War * (David) 38.6.

RACE 3: Northern Boss canter/38.1. No Smoking Jeff 39.9. Colonel Lincoln * (J Powell) 38.1.

RACE 4: Happy Baby * (Nunes) 40.4. Justice Light (Duric) 44.6. King Of War * 36.7.

RACE 5: Key On Kodiac 38.8. Kashan (Chavez) canter/44. Margaux (David) 37.2. King Cross 38.7. Golden Jade * (M Jailani) 35.2.

RACE 6: Mr Hanks * (Duric) 38.5. Bebop * (David) 35.8. Kiss Your Song * (J Powell) 37.6. Lucky Master * 37.7. Silent Boss 40.4.

RACE 7: Holy Grail (Munro) canter/36.3. Alfonso (H Syafiq) canter/35.6. Super Buffalo 38.6. Sun Hancock (M Zaki) 36.6. Dragon * (Beasley) 42.3. Urban Legend (David) canter/36.5.

RACE 8: Super Genius 36.3. Kaiser Bright * (Jailani) 35.4. Lam Edition (S Sam) 39.4. Roma (Zaki) 37.4.

RACE 9: Best Tothelign (Kellady) 38.1. Poseidon (Rodd) 38.6. Daniel * (Boss) canter/36.1. Blue Swede * (Kellady) 37.6. White Hunter * 41.8.

RACE 10: Savage Storm 35.6. Siam Sapphire * 38.8. Auspicious Ace * (R Zawari) 40.6. Hiko Yunikon (K A'Isisuhairi) 35.2. Shaqraa (Kellady) 37.8.

RACE 11: Ahmar * (Chavez) 45.7. Mangatoetoenui (Nunes) canter/36.8. Mark Eclipse (Aslam) 36.6. Northern Knight 43.6. Gold Crown * 38.6. Splinter * (Duric) 36.4. Gol Goal * (Powell) 37.8. Jubilation (Powell) 37.8. Humdinger * (Munro) 35.8. In Bocca Al Lupo (M Jailani) 40.8.

GALLOPS BY HORSES RUNNING TOMORROW

RACE 2: Super Dan (N Juglall) pace work.

RACE 4: Petite Victoire 37.3.

RACE 8: Terms Of Reference (B Vorster) fast in the straight.