Go with Paletas
With Inferno likely to be odds-on favourite for the day , Clements could saddle an early winner
It's an interesting programme on Sunday.
Fourteen races. Fourteen open contests except, maybe, for the showpiece event, where Inferno certainly leaps from the page.
Given his record and reputation, he'll probably start as a single-digit favourite.
If such thin returns hold no or little appeal, I say look elsewhere and do your homework.
I like to believe I've done mine. While Inferno sure looks like being the surest of sure to win the $250,000 Group 2 Singapore Classic, I've decided to look elsewhere for something with better value.
That said, I've settled on Paletas. I reckon he could be the way to go in Race 3.
A one-time winner from just three outings, Paletas is certainly heading in the right direction.
There was plenty to like when he won on debut, which now seems like light years ago.
But it was only in December. Racing as a three-year-old, he showed grit and plenty of courage.
Of course, whenever Vlad Duric's in the saddle, things look easy. But I'm sure even the champ will tell you it was nerve-wracking and touch-and-go stuff over the concluding 100m.
At that crucial stage of the 1,000m race, Paletas was still a length behind the pair of Brutus and Healthy Star.
It sure looked like third spot was all he would manage.
But, obviously, Paletas had other ideas. Responding to Duric's whip-riding, he put his head down and charged home.
All that Ruan Maia, on Healthy Star, saw was a flash of yellow and blue, as Paletas stole the show, albeit the verdict was just by a nose.
In that victory, I saw plenty of flash and fire.
Come Sunday, the son of Iffraaj won't have Duric, but he will have the equally competent Louis-Philippe Beuzelin on the reins. Now, Beuzelin is no stranger to the gelding.
Twice before, since early last month when restrictions were lifted and racing began again, the Frenchman had taken him to the trials. At his last start on Aug 8, it was Beuzelin who was legged up onto Paletas.
Anyway, the less said about that race, the better.
To put it bluntly, that day Paletas seemed "flat". And the stable could offer no explanation. However, they said - and it was noted in the Stewards' Report - that he would benefit from that run.
That is now. Will Paletas be up to the task in Race 3? I reckon Michael Clements will have him trotting to the start looking as hard as a brick and as right as a racehorse can be.
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