Afalonhro raring to go
The Mark Walker-trained 4YO set to make amends at New Year's Day meeting
Smart debut runner-up Afalonhro is all set to go one better at Kranji next Wednesday, the first day of the 2020 Singapore racing season.
The Mark Walker-trained four-year-old Australian-bred has been working with a vengeance since his defeat by Perfect on Nov 22.
He has been burning up the training tracks at Kranji the past few weeks and, on Christmas Day, he signalled his winning intentions with a sizzling gallop.
Picking up speed gradually, he ran the last 600m in a swift 34.7sec. He was striding out beautifully all the way.
Walker has his charge spot-on for the New Year's Day meeting.
Afalonhro, owned by Omni Stable, has created a favourable impression in his barrier trials and just missed it at his debut.
In his first trial on Oct 17, he was merely on an educational breeze-up. He looked relaxed as he galloped on to finish second three lengths behind Dash.
The winner's time was not overly fast, 1min 01.39sec over the Polytrack 1,000m.
With the benefit of that trial and out for a more serious role, he won his second trial on Nov 7 impressively. Ridden by apprentice jockey R Zawari, he clocked a smart 1min 00.59sec.
That was a huge improvement, indeed, considering he had only the one trial under his belt. It showed his ability.
Sent to the races on Nov 22, Afalonhro was backed down to favouritism - understandably so, on his impressive trials.
Ridden by Benny Woodworth, runner-up in the 2019 Singapore jockeys' premiership, Afalonhro was beaten for early pace.
He dropped back to the rear and had only one horse behind him in the Open Maiden event over 1,200m on turf.
Woodworth got cracking after passing the mid-stage but was trapped wide and straighened very wide.
He joined the eventual winner, Perfect, to go after the leaders midway down the straight.
His wider run took its toll. Perfect had a more economical run and got home first by ½ length in 1min 11.22sec.
On the way he has been pleasing, Afalonhro is set to avenge that defeat next Wednesday.
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