Tannhauser on target for fifth straight win
Michael Clements' phenom works up a storm on the training track
It's not very often that we can say "go nap" on a certain horse. However, in the case of Tannhauser, those two words can be thrown about with some confidence.
After opening our eyes with a great gallop at the trials last Thursday, he again served notice of his intentions to open his 2018 campaign on a winning note when he strode out fluently in a winding-up gallop at Kranji yesterday morning.
Sent out on Track 6, Tannhauser clocked a breezy 38.2sec for the 600m.
He was clearly in his element and enjoying himself.
Back to that trial on Thursday, the four-year-old clocked a nice time of 1:00.65sec for the 1,000m even though, according to some, he looked a bit on the hefty side.
BIG THINGS
Tannhauser was, undoubtedly, one of the finds of the 2017 season and many are predicting big things for this handsome bay gelding.
He ended his first season with four wins in quick succession, then took a well-deserved "holiday" when Singapore racing took that December break.
Now he's back - and ready to go.
Does he look a "certainty" in Race 9 on Sunday? Well, there's no such thing but I'd say he certainly has the credentials to be one of the better bets - or the best - on Sunday's 11-race card.
That said, this could be the toughest field he has faced in his Kranji career which began with an unceremonious fifth placing on debut.
However, since then there was no stopping him. He won his next two starts in front-running style over the 1,100m and 1,200m.
Then, to show his versatility - or, rather, to show off - he came from deep midfield spots in his next two runs but still managed to finish in a flourish.
He would win his third and fourth races by skinny margins. But, you could tell he was always in full control. Come Sunday, he takes on the likes on Mighty Conqueror and Deimos - and, you can bet, they'll try to make a race of it.
Deimos, in particular, was also impressive on the training track. Taken out by Michael Rodd. Himself a four-time winner but from 11 starts - he stopped the clocks in 37.4sec.
It was an inspiring piece of work by the youngster who is named after the Greek god of terror.
How apt. After all, if anyone could terrorise Tannhauser on Sunday, it might just be this Olympian Stable-owned phenom.
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