Clements trio take it easy
Tuesday, Pattaya and Shepherd's Hymn look fit
The hard, sweaty work all done, it was winding-down time on the training track at Kranji yesterday morning.
Even though they did not go against the clock, leading trainer Michael Clements' horses looked like they were ready for some Saturday afternoon action.
Right now - purely on looks - Clements seems to hold the whip hand in Race 7. He has three runners in the Class 4 sprint and all three were sent out for cantering exercise yesterday. They were topweight Trapio, Pattaya and Tuesday.
For now, let's focus on the duo that looked in good shape. Pattaya, in particular, will have plenty of admirers. He is shooting for a hat-trick and could very well get it.
After all, there was plenty to like about his last two wins.
In total, he won those by 41/2 lengths - helped by the demolition job he did on his rivals in the Restricted Maiden event over the 1,200m in August.
That day, he hit the front deep in the final stretch. Over the final furlong, he opened up to leave his rivals stranded.
Three weeks later, when racing in open company, he put 11/2 lengths between himself and the rest.
Come Saturday, with Vlad Duric in the plate, Pattaya looks to be the ace in Clements' hand.
Jockey Louis-Philippe Beuzelin might have something to say about that.
He will be legged up onto Tuesday and it will be interesting to see how the three-year-old performs in his first race on the turf.
That is the query. Otherwise, there are no blemishes on Tuesday's report card.
It was in mid-August that he won comfortably over 1,100m on the Polytrack. However, and if they awarded stars for showings at the trials, Tuesday would already have had one.
He has been a revelation in all three of his outings. In his first trial in late July, he beat Oracle by a length, clocking 62.71sec.
A fortnight later, he clocked 60.84sec. But it was his final trial which made us sit up and take notice.
That day, some five weeks ago, he won in a swift 59.72sec. Beuzelin would have liked the feeling.
So, who is it going to be? Pattaya or Tuesday?
Clements looks to have another live one in Race 10. That is when Ryan Munger takes the reins on Shepherd's Hymn.
Well-bred by So You Think, Shepherd's Hymn was that other Clements' runner who stretched out with a spot of cantering yesterday morning.
A last-start winner, he tackles the mile on Saturday. While his last win was over 1,800m, he has won over the 1,600m.
Shepherd's Hymn has drawn the BKE for this, his seventh start. But, it could be just what he needs - a cosy, unimpeded run to the first turn.
That done, watch him grow wings and fly home.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
