Skywalk looks best of James Peters’ Cup trio
Baby-faced trainer James Peters has only three entries for the first meeting of the 2018 Singapore racing season on Monday and all three are in the $200,000 New Year Cup.
His trio - Wimbledon, Spanish Bay and Skywalk - showed up on the Kranji training track yesterday morning and all showed pleasing form.
But, clearly, it was his rising sprinter Skywalk who will be his trump card for the Group 3 feature over the Polytrack 1,200m.
Taken out by visiting Australian jockey and his last-start winning partner Daniel Moor, Skywalk strode out effortlessly over 600m on the Polytrack in 40.5sec.
The four-year-old chestnut New Zealand-bred was pulled up early and he seemed like wanting more. He looked solid as he floated his way back to the tunnel en route to his stable.
The two-time Group place-getter put his hand up for the New Year Cup by winning his last two races, the latest stamping him as a key contender.
In that race on the final day of the 2017 season on Dec 3, Skywalk beat one of Kranji's exciting finds, Super Fortune, over the new New Year Cup distance of 1,200m on the Polytrack (previously staged over the Poly 1,900m).
What was even more impressive was his swift winning time - 1min 10.48sec - which was a new class record.
The previous record of 1:10.63 was set by Singapore's equine superstar Rocket Man but Rocket Man did it with 59.5kg, while Skywalk carried only 51.5kg.
But still, one has to have the star ability to be able to better Rocket Man's time and this carries a lot of weight.
Skywalk's best advantage on Monday is that he is handicapped a treat with only 50kg.
Stablemates Wimbledon and Spanish Bay worked together yesterday and they went keenly.
Wimbledon gave Spanish Bay a couple of lengths headstart but Spanish Bay levelled up at the finishing line.
Spanish Bay clocked 38.1sec, while Wimbledon stopped the clock at 38.7.
Seven-time winner Wimbledon beat all but Faaltless in the Group 3 Garden City Trophy over 1,200m on turf in August and then ran unplaced in an international race in South Korea.
He bounced back last start with a third, so he has the form but the biggest concern is his top impostof 58kg.
Spanish Bay's two Group wins stand him in good stead but the only thing is he is just starting to find his form back. - TAN THEAN LOON
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