Keep tabs on Elite Power

On a Tuesday morning when eight trials were run, Elite Power did enough to inspire confidence.

Ridden by R Zawari, he was always among the leading trio until close home, when he found that little extra to win by a shorthead.

Pole Paradise, the mount of Nooresh Juglall, took second with early leader Nimble (Michael Rodd) having to settle for third.

Elite Power clocked 60.69sec for the 1,000m.

It wasn't a great time but on that showing, the five-year-old gave the impression he was ready to return to the winning list.

GREETING

For his connections, it would be long overdue.

After all, since greeting the judge in June, the Mark Walker-trained galloper's form figures read 3-2-3-2-2.

It means good money in the bank - but nothing beats a win.

Elite Power's last race, when second to Nepean, was on Nov 11, which means he has not raced for two months.

He looked liked he was raring to go on Tuesday morning and it would be a nice story if, at his first start in 2019, he gets to add a "1" to his string of placings.

The only other time he earned a "1" beside his name, Elite Power came with a barnstorming run in the final stretch to beat Dynamic General by a length and a half.

That was in Class 3 and the race was run over the flying 1,000m.

Since then, it has been a tale of near misses and if any horse deserves a break, it is Elite Power.

It might be a good idea to also keep an eye on Made In China.

From Lee Freedman's yard, he won the fifth trial of the morning in workmanlike fashion.

Tracking the leader, Man Of Mystery, all the way down the back straight, he took the lead at the 600m. And while he looked to be a tearaway leader, he decided to take the scenic route home.

By racing wide into the straight, he allowed the others to close it.

Northern Sun and Lim's Reform soon took up the chase and, with 150m to travel, the three were abreast and across the track.

But Daniel Moor, on Made In China, wasn't going to be cowed.

He coaxed his mount to the line, leaving Lim's Reform three parts of a length in arrears. Northern Sun, who was prominent from the 600m onwards, stayed on for third.

Made In China clocked a ho-hum 61.66sec for the 1,000m.

Now a five-year-old, his last win was in May last year.

That day, when ridden by Craig Grylls, Made In China played catch-me-if-you-can over the 1,200m.

They couldn't and, left on his own, he coasted in by almost 2 lengths.

He has since had three more starts - with nothing to show.

But as his win at the trials seemed to suggest, he's better than that and when he next goes to the races, it could pay to be in his corner.

TRIAL 1

1 The Iceman (D Moor)

2 Favouritism (R Iskandar)

3 Super Ray (N Juglall)

4 Mamamia Mamamia (V Duric)

5 Siam Royal Orchid (G Boss)

6 Legend Rocks (S John)

7 Lim's Swift

8 Meteor Loui (I Azhar)

Margins and time: ½, 1¼, 1½, 2¼, ½, 8½ (1 min01.74sec)

TRIAL 2

1 Circuit Mission (M Rodd)

2 Bartimaeus

3 Ka Chance (Duric)

4 Mascot (R Zawari)

5 Military Might (B THompson)

6 I'm The Man (Boss)

Margins and time: 2, shd, ½, 5¼, 6 (1:01.90)

TRIAL 3

1 No Fun No Gain (Moor)

2 Super Talent (B Woodworth)

3 Run The Day (Zawari)

4 Ocean Crossing (Iskandar)

5 JK Flash (J See)

Margins and time: ¾, 3¼, 4, 5½ (1:00.89)

TRIAL 4

1 Elite Power (Zawari)

2 Pole Paradise (Juglall)

3 Nimble (Rodd)

4 Baccarat (Duric)

5 Viviano

6 Lim's Knight (T See)

7 Kingsman (MM Firdaus)

8 Biraz (D Beasley)

9 Justice Smart (F Yusoff)

Margins and time: hd, 1¼, 4, ½, shd, 6, 2¾, 11¼ (1:00.69)

TRIAL 5

1 Made In China (Moor)

2 Lim's Reform (T See)

3 Northern Sun (T Rehaizat)

4 Quantum (Rodd)

5 Zulu Warrior (I Amirul)

6 Man Of Mystery (Zawari)

7 Mach (Boss)

8 Gloria Eclipse (Thompson)

9 Viola Da Terra (S Shafrizal)

Margins and time: ¾, ½, hd, hd, 3¼, nk, 1¼, 3¼ (1:01.66)

TRIAL 6

1 Satellite Warrior (AK LIm)

2 Black Quail (Zawari)

3 Gain Eclipse (S Noh)

4 Acrobat (Amirul)

5 Yulong Dream (Juglall)

6 Irving Lipschitz (Moor)

7 Storm Trooper

8 The Odds (Rodd)

Margins and time: ½, shd, 1, 2¼, 3½, 1¾, 1 (1:01.84)

TRIAL 7

1 Wonderful Era (T Barnabas)

2 Secret Squirrel (J See)

3 King Warrior (Boss)

4 Blue Chip (Amirul)

5 Mr Hooper (Moor)

6 Pacific Mystical (John)

7 Heartlight

8 Gold Company (rodd)

Margins and time: 1½, 1, shd, shd, 1½, ½, ¾ (1:01.83)

TRIAL 8

1 Rock Me Easy (Duric)

2 Miracle Time (Amirul)

3 Alamosa Express

4 Black Orchid (Thompson)

5 Duxton (T See)

6 Bangkok Girl (Moor)

7 Sacred Croix (Woodworth)

8 Pacific Secret (John)

Margins and time: ¾, hd, ½, ¾, 1½, ½, ½ (1:03.19)