Favourites jump from 'good gates'
Infantry draws Barrier 3 and Hong Kong's Southern Legend occupies Stall 1 in the $1.5 million Kranji Mile
The label will stick - and not just because it has such a nice ring to it. Regardless of the outcome, the 2018 Kranji Mile on Super Saturday will go down in racing annals at the "Hottest Race In The Tropics".
And yesterday, in the changing light of dusk and far from the green, green grass of the Kranji Racecourse, where the horse is not so much a way of life, but a reason for breathing, it was "starters up".
The venue was Clarke Quay's Fountain Square and there the dream began with the barrier draw for tomorrow's $1.5 million race.Scattered around, trainers, owners, jockeys and destinies mingled. But what nonchalance was just a cover.
Fingers crossed, they waited to witness the business of where their precious horses would "jump" from in the 1,600m contest. While it may have seemed a frivolous exercise to Clarke Quay's party animals, it was serious stuff for the horsey set.
After all, by yesterday, the "donkey work" had been done. Like a hand being fitted for a glove, trainers had smoothened out the rough edges and, over the stables, the horse was as right as could be.
But a bad draw could ruin all the good work. So, they fretted.
Boniface Ho, the owner of likely race favourite, Hong Kong's Southern Legend, was thrilled to have drawn the plum No. 1 stall for his versatile horse.
He said: "He should run prominently. He won three from start to finish and the rest coming from midfield or right at the back. From barrier 1, he can go forward."
Another "very satisfied guest" was champion jockey Vlad Duric. His mount, one of Singapore's main hopes Infantry, drew Stall 3 which he said was the perfect place to be.
He added: "Perfect barrier. I wanted between 3 and 7 and I got 3, and the two Hong Kong horses are drawn inside me, so it's perfect. The horse is in great form. I'm really confident, so it'll just go down to a bit of luck in the running, and obviously how we measure up against the Hong Kong horses."
By 8.30pm, the party had wound down and the horsemen returned Clarke Quay to its rightful owners, the party animals. Many had said they wanted an early night but few would sleep soundly.
After all, in this subculture of sawdust and feed buckets, they all knew that even the best draw didn't guarantee anything.
Only one thing is certain.
Racing does not linger on its fallen. So, good draw, bad draw... whatever. To win the big one on Super Saturday, their horse must break the hearts of the best milers around.
And that's just putting it mildly.
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