Well Done builds up towards big ones

So, the Derby's over and Infantry's the new king.

So, what of last year's winner WELL DONE? He wasn't in Sunday's line-up. Is something amiss with him?

Apparently no. Well Done is in good order.

Indeed, and while Infantry would have been lounging around the barn on Tuesday morning, celebrating his new stature of Derby king, last year's winner was hard at work at the trials.

And, from what we saw, he is very much "all there".

Okay, so he didn't win on his trial. But his second-placed finish behind VIVIANO was an inspired showing.

Ridden by this year's Derby-winning rider Manoel Nunes, last year's winner was unsighted in the early part of the 1,000m sprint.

As Viviano and FAALTLESS went hell for leather over the back stretch and through that sweeping turn on the far side, Nunes - in his red windbreaker - was further than midfield and staying out of trouble.

Into the straight and with Faaltless quickly sacrificed at the altar of pacemaking, Viviano was home and hosed.

Two hundred metres out and the fight was for the minors. That was when Well Done came into the picture. From being right out of it at the 700m mark, he was now right in it.

SUPERNOVA, who was also looking like a slouch early, suddenly reinvented himself and, instinctively, all eyes were on that pair - Well Done on the extreme outside and Supernova closest to the paint - as they gobbled up the hangers-on and raced to the line.

Well Done, ridden quietly by Nunes, would run second - two and a quarter lengths behind Viviano but a neck in front of Supernova who was ridden by apprentice Nuh Komari.

Yes, Well Done is running into some kind of form and, while his last few outings are best forgotten, look out for some strut swagger in his next few outings.

From battling trainer David Kok's yard, he could be looking at the "features" to be run in the last quarter of the year.

While saluting Well Done, let's take nothing away from trial winner Viviano.

He came into Tuesday's hit-out on the back of a win over 1,200m on June 9.

One of several unheralded gallopers at Kranji, Viviano has been banking in cheques at a steady rate and has so far ammassed in excess of $350,000 for his connections, the Raffles Racing Stable.

Not one who is noted for his tearaway speed, we saw him lead the field on a merry chase at his trial and, to his credit, he didn't just hang on - but he drew away - to win handsomely.

Far from being the finished product, his eighth career win could come sooner rather than later.

Watch him the next time he goes to the races.

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TRIAL 1

1 Super Power (B Vorster)

2 Don De La Vega (I Amirul)

3 Speedy Demon

4 Vistara (CS Chin)

5 Lim's Keyway (N Juglall)

6 Cold War (O Placais)

Margins and time: 3¼, ns, hd, 4, 5½ (1min 01.98sec)

TRIAL 2

1 Sacred Surfer

2 First Light (CK Ng)

3 Kokoni (Amirul)

4 Yulong Holy Praise (S John)

5 Anghiari (Y Salim)

6 Trigamy

Margins and time: Shd, 2, ¾, 2½, 4½ (1:00.94)

TRIAL 3

1 Bao Shan Magic (Ng)

2 Sacred Galaxy

3 Deadline Day (Placais)

4 Pratt Street (J Powell)

5 Get Going (S Shafrizal)

6 Yulong Holy Flying (Amirul)

Margins and time: ½, 8¾, 1¾, ½, 1¼ (1:00.79)

TRIAL 4

1 Viviano

2 Well Done (M Nunes)

3 Supernova (K Nuh)

4 Touch Me Not (Juglall)

5 Friendship (A Munro)

6 Raise No Doubt (G Boss)

7 Faaltless (Powell)

8 Lethal Weapon (Amirul)

Margins and time: 2¼, nk, nk, ½, hd, hd, 5¼ (1:00.88)

TRIAL 5

1 Dominy (M Jailani)

2 Mount (D David)

3 Reddot Rising (Boss)

4 Toobigtofail (Munro)

5 Darci's Boy (Nunes)

6 Aramco (Powell)

7 Baymax (P Dellorto)

8 Red Rackham (Placais)

9 Speedy Nancho (I Saifudin)

Margins and time: 4¼, ns, 1, ¾, ½, ½, ½, 1¾ (1:01.81)

TRIAL 6

1 Thoth Warrior (Vorster)

2 One Force (Juglall)

3 Simpang (CC Wong)

4 Grand Choice (Saifudin)

5 Silent Boss (Boss)

6 Valerius (CS Chin)

7 Sorbeta (Amirul)

8 Clermont Club

9 Zahir (SY Moon)

Margins and time: ½, hd, 1½, ns, 1¾, shd, 1¾ (1:00.79)