It's victory for War Affair in swift trial
Bruce Marsh's champ tosses hat into Chairman's ring
Never underestimate a good horse - even one who appears to be on the wane. They have a habit of popping up and biting you where it hurts.
Superstar WAR AFFAIR fits the bill perfectly.
Until his win in the Saas Fee Stakes in May, Kranji's highest-rated galloper with 16 wins to his credit, has not visited the winner's enclosure in a long time.
But, with that victory which he "shared" with Storm Troops, he showed he hadn't lost his navigational skills and, more importantly, he still knows his way to the winning post.
That's an inbred quality in a good horse and, here in the north-western part of Singapore, War Affair ranks among the best.
And it was at the trials on Tuesday morning that he showed us why he has an ever-growing fan base - even though, until his last win in May, he had been winless for nine months.
With New Zealander Craig Grylls doing the steering, War Affair was left to do his thing.
Jumping clean from the middle of the line, Grylls took a sit in fourth spot - just off the pace set by Goodfellas and Ace King.
Pass the 600m and into the stretch and the old warrior was still three-wide. Ahead of him were the bobbing bottoms of Barend Vorster on Ace King, Benny Woodworh on Goodfellas and Vlad Duric on AFFLECK.
Two hundred metres out and Grylls "clicked" his mount into action. Spying an opening on the rails, he pointed War Affair to it.
That was that. Game over.
Like a hot knife through butter, War Affair prepared to administer the coup de grace.
Goodfellas crumbled. Ace King wilted. And Draco - so prominent early - was making appointments his body could not keep. Only Affleck maintained something which resembled resistance.
Still, even that too was futile.
LOOKING STRONGER
War Affair was home and hosed - and looking stronger with every stride. He would eventually win by almost three lengths in a time of 59.51sec.
We weren't privy to what went on after that trial but, I reckon, he would have trotted back to his stable looking like a work of art.
On Chairman's Trophy Day, racegoers will bang the drum loudly for his impending victory in the Singapore Group 2 event.
This time, they just might be right.
You see, opportunity has no great value if you don't have the talent to capitalise on it.
Come Sunday and, on level terms with the rest, War Affair has the opportunity.
And, as we all know, he is as talented as they come. So how?
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