All systems go for Yulong Express
The best from Tuesday morning's trials
It could pay to hop on the Yulong Express when he next leaves the station.
Yet to show up in a race this season, it was full steam ahead for the four-year-old when he was sent to the trials on Tuesday morning.
With Patrick Moloney in the irons, Yulong Express left the chute in a hurry and, even before they really settled into stride, he had his rivals strung up behind him like a row of carriages.
Given rein when they straightened, he quickly put three lengths between himself and the rest led by Household Dynasty.
He was clearly in his element and, at the 200m, had Moloney a whistle, he could have blown it to signal his coming into the station.
But Yulong Express didn't need any reminders. He was home and hosed a long way out and Moloney eased him up to win by 2¼ lengths.
He clocked a modest 62.36sec for the 1,000m - but it really didn't matter. For trainer Lee Freedman and his connections, it was "job done".
It was Yulong Express' second trial and second "win" in 2020. That first one was in mid-January when he poked his nose in front to consign Arc Triumph into second spot.
It's coming to six months since Yulong Express last raced.
That day in September, he had everything go wrong. With Simon Kok on the reins, he never had a clear passage.
Held up near the top of the straight, he was taken wide passing the 300m mark of that 1,200m race on grass.
It put paid to his chances and when he finally got going, race favourite Elise had nicked it.
Yulong Express was sent off as the $15 second pick and, if you were one of those who had money riding on him, I'd suggest you follow up when he next goes to the races.
From what we saw of him at the trials, Yulong Express is in a good place right now. He's in form and he's as right as a racehorse can be.
Also impressive at the trials were Filibuster, Star Empire and Gold Star. They finished 1-2-3 in the third and final trial of the morning.
Ridden by TH Koh, Star Empire had dictated things soon after the get-go. Shanti, from Michael Clements' yard, tried to match motors but would wave the white flag halfway down the stretch.
As for Moloney on Gold Star and Daniel Moor on Filibuster, you could say they were in midfield and "interested spectators" to the action up front.
Two hundred metres out and Moor had seen enough. Peeling his mount wide out, he sent Filibuster after the leader, collared him close home and took the trial by a neck. She clocked a smart time of 60.95sec.
Also making his move at the 200m was Gold Star. Bursting from a pack of horses, he charged home to take third, a nose behind Star Empire.
The connections of all three horses couldn't have been more satisfied with what they had seen.
Tuesday's Kranji barrier trial results
TRIAL 1
1 Almugir (V Duric)
2 Jacksa (L Beuzelin)
3 Aramaya (P Moloney)
4 Rings Of Fire (M Kellady)
5 Miss Fortune (M Ewe)
Margins and time: Shd, 1¾, 7, 4½ (1 min 03.15 sec)
TRIAL 2
1 Yulong Express (P Moloney)
2 Household Dynasty (R Maia)
3 Gingerman (R Munger)
4 Clergyman (Duric)
5 Quick Shosha (K Hakim)
6 Bethlehem (T Rehaizat)
7 Quadcopter (M Lerner)
Margins and time: 2¼, 4, 2¾, 4½, 1¾, 53 (1: 02.36)
TRIAL 3
1 Filibuster (D Moor)
2 Star Empire (TH Koh)
3 Gold Star (Moloney)
4 Shanti (Beuzelin)
5 Mister Dynamo (Duric)
6 Mig Pierro (Lerner)
7 Smiling Proud (S Noh)
Margins and time: Nk, ns, 1¼, ½, 1½, 2 (1:00.95)
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