Eruption is eyeing a race-to-race double
Brian Miller
Eruption won his last start in a 1,400m race on April 27 rather easily, coming off third spot at the top of the home straight to win comfortably by two lengths.
The son of Xtravagant should be even better over the mile which he has to cover in Kuala Lumpur in Race 5 on May 18.
So, there is no reason not to expect him to put together a race-to-race double.
His trainer, Lawson Moy, and his owners, the Buffalo Stable, will be pretty confident of his chances and they would have been even more sure after seeing his gallop on the morning of May 14.
Not out to burn the track at Sungai Besi, Eruption ran the 600m in a smart time of 38.2sec.
That win on April 27 was the four-year-old's fourth success and his second for Moy, who took him over from Tim Fitzsimmons when racing shut down in Singapore last Oct 5.
While he has scored all his wins over 1,400m, his style of racing does suggest that he will have little or no problem with the extra 200m that he has to cover at his next assignment.
Among others who could bother him is Ong Mari, who turned in a smart training gallop, running the 600m in an easy 40.2sec.
The Zoustar five-year-old's last five runs will do little to inspire confidence but he did score two wins from eight starts for trainer Simon Dunderdale.
He came good at his second career start in a Class 4A over 1,400m on Jan 4. He finished the widest for jockey Shafiq Rizuan to stroll in by over three lengths.
Another victory came in quick succession on Jan 19, in a MAX2 which was also over the 1,400m. Once again, under Shafiq, Ong Mari was doing his best work late.
Just when he was putting together a nice fan club, came the slump.
It could be the promotion to Class 3, or something else, but for the next five runs leading up to his race on May 4 when he finished sixth to Pacific Padrino, Ong Mari turned out to be a bit of a damp squib.
With that good piece of work under his girth, there is still some hope Ong Mari could bounce back to form on May 18. So stick with him and toss him into those tierce and quartet bets.
Elsewhere on the 12-race programme, keep an eye on My Determination.
Bottom-weight in Race 6 - the Class 4 (A) race to be run over the 1,200m - he turned in a pleasing gallop on the training track when running the 600m in a fluent 40.2sec.
Prepared by Richard Lines, who will saddle a strong team of 16 horses for the two-day meeting, My Determination could be the stand-out in that line-up.
The Dundeel six-year-old has produced two wins, a second and a third placing in his last six runs. During his time in Singapore, he won a 1,600m race for trainer Steven Burridge at Kranji on Dec 2, 2023.
One of those who enjoys racing from the front, My Determination should be in his element over the 1,200m, but the outermost alley in 15 is a dampener.
If he can overcome that horror gate, he could give his rivals something to chase.
Another star worker from Lines' yard on May 14 was Ironclad despite being a rising 10. The son of Akeed Mofeed ran the 600m in a flashy 39.9sec, and is down to contest Race 11, the Class 4 (B) sprint (1,020m) on May 18.
Ironclad's best run this season was when he ran third in that race won by Ong Mari on Jan 4.
Under Winston Cheah Wei Wen - who will again be in the saddle on May 18 - Ironclad did not have the smoothest of runs with the stewards reporting he was inconvenienced in the home stretch.
At his age, he could be looking for Class 5 to bump up his record of seven wins (two at his first two seasons in Singapore under Burridge) but you never know. On the strength of his training gallop, Ironclad could be the surprise package in that sharp sprint.
brian@sph.com.sg
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