Knight Love for encore in the last race
Clements-trained up-and-coming sprinter is physically and mentally stronger
The physically and mentally stronger Knight Love can continue his winning ways in the last of 10 races at Kranji tomorrow.
It is not an overly strong Class 4 Div 1 field over the Polytrack 1,100m and the progressive Michael Clements-trained four-year-old American-bred should assert his superiority for his third success in six starts.
Clements has said that his charge has come back stronger physically and mentally after his four-month break.
That was evidenced from his authoritative victory when Knight Love resumed on Dec 27. He silenced his nearest rival, the trial-winning newcomer Gentlemen Exellent, by 21/4 lengths over the Poly 1,000m dash.
With hotshot Brazilian jockey Ruan Maia astride, he tracked third before unleashing a powerful burst to score in a swift 58.29sec.
Maia has since been lured to ride in the ultra-competitive Hong Kong.
Like the Shane Baertschiger-trained Gentlemen Exellent, who will have plenty of admirers in Race 8, Knight Love has improved further.
The bay gelding worked on a good hold and finished full of running after his hit-out on Monday morning with jockey Louis-Phillipe Beuzelin astride.
The Frenchman partnered Knight Love in his first three starts for a debut all-the-way triumph over 1,200m on turf in restricted Maiden company and two seconds in Class 4.
He was ridden by then-apprentice jockey Shafrizal Saleh in the Group 2 Singapore Classic over 1,400m, but finished 10th behind the sensational Inferno after being well up.
With Beuzelin serving a suspension for careless riding, four-time Singapore champion Vlad Duric has been engaged for the ride. This suggests the connections' eagerness for another quick success.
This will be Duric's first day for the new Singapore racing season.
He lost four Kranji race days this month - two through careless riding and another two recuperating from a minor throat issue.
One who is usually perched at the top of the jockeys' table, it is strange to see his name right at the bottom of the list.
He is starting from scratch, with seven rides tomorrow.
But it looks like he has to wait until the final event on Knight Love, his best ride of the day.
With luck, he may strike in the opener with the Stephen Gray-trained Hwasong, whose only win from 10 starts was with the Australian aboard.
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