It's Lim's Cruiser again
Boss steers Gray-trained champion sprinter to win back-to-back Lion City Cups
Class prevailed in the $1 million Group 1 Lion City Cup over 1,200m on Saturday, with last year's winner Lim's Cruiser making it back-to-back in devastating style.
Interestingly, the reigning Singapore champion sprinter had not won since that victory in the third leg of the Singapore Sprint Series in April last year, when ridden by Danny Beasley.
Trainer Stephen Gray had tested Lim's Crfuiser over more ground in marquee races, such as the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2,000m) and the Group 1 Raffles Cup (1,800m), but that electric turn of foot that was so lethal a season ago seemed to have diminished.
But how it rose back to prominence in the race that mattered, at the same time vindicating Gray's decision to stick to sprints versus the other enticing option of running the Lim's Stable champion in the $1.5 million invitational Group 1 Kranji Mile over 1,600m, won by Hong Kong's Southern Legend.
Settling at rearward spot from his wide alley, Lim's Cruiser eventually drove through a gap to settle on the rails after only 200m, a nifty piece of riding from jockey Glen Boss.
Up front, noted front-runner Zac Kasa (Craig Grylls) was going great guns until Lim's Cruiser charged through a pack to win with so much authority.
"He's a very good horse and we've worked for this race all along. I always knew he'd bounce back and what better race than this to do that," said Gray. "Glen Boss, he's just the best."
Said Boss: "I again got another bad draw, but I was glad I was able to get a good posie this time. He was going that well that I knew he would be hard to beat once he sprints through. He is the best sprinter and his preparation has been faultless."
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