Hosayliao turns on the style
The best from the trials on Tuesday morning
You've got to hand it to Hosayliao. He's a five-year-old with 41 race starts under his girth.
Yet, he has just one winner to show. But still he plods on. Looking and trying for the elusive second win.
Hosayliao's last few runs have been more commendable. Indeed, his form figures for his last three outings read: 3-2-2.
We will get back to those runs later. For now, Hosayliao was at the trials on Tuesday morning and, once again, he didn't hold back.
Taking off with the rest - and there were 10 in that final trial of the morning - Hosayliao lacked that early pace and had three behind him when they made that first turn on the far side.
Kept widest of the pack by Joseph See, Hosayliao made up some ground and was fifth at the 600m marker.
Into the final straight and See asked his mount for some effort.
Hosayliao was up for it. With 250m to travel, he was in a line of three with Speed Racer - the mount of Koh Teck Huat - and that exciting two-year-old Super Incredible, who was ridden by A'Isisuhairi Kasim.
Stride for stride they went, with Hosayliao getting on top of them close home to win by three parts of a length.
Super Incredible took second, beating Speed Racer by a head. Hosayliao clocked 61.43sec for the 1,000m trip on the Polytrack.
It was not the best we have seen, but it was not a bad effort either.
Prepared by Jason Ong, who saddled a double last Saturday with Loving Babe and $204 shocker The Wild Bunch, Hosayliao's last outing was full of merit.
Kept in a midfield spot by See, he responded to a flick of the reins at the 200m mark.
On the day, he just failed to match Allegro, who also happened to make a move at the same stage of the race, and went down by a neck.
It's been 21 months since Hosayliao won his first and last race.
That's a long time to wait. But his 12 placings - six seconds and six thirds - have been paying the bills.
And, the good thing is this. Hosayliao isn't done yet. He can still raise a fine gallop and he could be worth some thought when you next see his name on a racecard.
Remember also the name Dantes. It may not ring a bell but, this might jog your interest.
Dantes is by Echoes Of Heaven and he's a full brother to Countofmontecristo.
Now, surely you remember that fella? After all, he was a reliable runner for trainer Michael Clements and a true moneyspinner for the Giovanni Stable, having won in excess of a million dollars in a colourful career which yielded several Group victories.
Well, Dantes is new to the scene and is owned by the St George Stable.
Trained by Stephen Gray, Dantes had an Official Race Trial on Tuesday morning and he made it a pillar-to-post affair. He beat another two-year-old, Super Extreme, by almost three lengths.
Ridden by Marc Lerner, Dantes clocked 64.65sec for the 1,000m. It was a slow time for a trial winner but, in fairness, Dantes was carrying 70kg and Lerner only let him go when the trial was all but over.
With natural progression, he could develop into something really good.
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