Zac Kasa shows off at the trials
The best from the trials on Tuesday morning
He takes his trials seriously. He's had nine since he first showed up at Kranji in late 2017 and, in all of them, he has never finished further than second.
Indeed, Zac Kasa's won five and, more often than not, a good run usually follows a winning trial.
Beginning early last year, he won a trial in February and, at his next race start, he led all the way in a Restricted Maiden event.
He was back at the trials in May and, following that winning show when he ran the 1,000m in 60.78sec, he finished second to the awesome Lim's Cruiser in the Lion City Cup.
The trend was tarnished when, after winning a trial on Aug 15, he ran fifth in a Kranji Stakes B race. But there were excuses. He was obliged to race wide without cover for all of the journey.
However, he made up for it in his next three starts - winning one and finishing second twice.
Zac Kasa's third to Aramco in his last start came after he ran second to Bold Thruster in a hit-out where he clocked 59.37sec.
Well, as we have come to accept, Zac Kasa was again a show-off at the trials on Tuesday morning. That, after testing the patience of the handlers behind the gates. However, after much fuss, he was finally coaxed in - only to be a tad slow when the starter released the field.
Not so worry, Michael Rodd quickly got to work on him and, by the time they made that first turn on the far side, he was in second spot and breathing down on the early leader, Special King.
Turning for home and Zac Kasa had enough of playing catch-up. He rolled to the front and quickly put the trial to bed.
If his aim was to dominate, he had, to an amazing extent, done just that. At the finish Zac Kasa had put three lengths between himself and Special King, with Our Dynamite and further 11/2 lengths in arrears.
It was a rollicking run by the ghostly grey from trainer Cliff Brown's yard, and it should pay well to watch him the next time he goes to the races.
Also impressive at the trials was Super Ray. Prepared for the races by Leslie Khoo, the three-year-old worked like a well-oiled veteran, taking the lead before the 600m marker and holding off all challengers at the business end of things.
He eventually put 21/2 lengths between himself and the unraced Vulcan. Military Chairman settled for third.
Super Ray has so far not put a hoof wrong. He won on debut, beating Acrobat by a narrow margin over the 1,400m.
He didn't have the cleanest of passages in his last start earlier this month and his rider, Z Zuriman, picked up a two-day suspension for causing interference to another runner in the race.
Until Tuesday, Super Ray had been to the trials seven times and, on two occasions, he finished second. Tuesday's win was his first.
Khoo has been patient with this son of Nadeem and why not? He could turn out to be a good one for the former Singapore champion jockey.
On the subject of "good ones", it could pay to watch the progress of Vulcan, who finished second to Super Ray.
Slow off the mark, he quickly made up ground to be on Super Ray's withers at the 600m. His rider, John Powell, could have pushed the button on Vulcan but instead chose to let his mount finish under his own steam.
Vulcan, a New Zealand-bred by Per Incanto, is young and he's learning. Under Shane Baertschiger's tutelage, he could become ultra competitive.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
