3 minute read
French jockey Marc Lerner believes the $175,000 Group 3 Silver Bowl (1400m) will be a handy guide to Glasgow’s aspirations towards loftier targets ahead.
Even if the son of Not A Single Doubt scored two of his three Kranji wins over 1400m, Lerner’s appraisal is the mile (Group 2 Stewards’ Cup on June 30) and even the 1800m of the third Leg of the Singapore Four-year-Old Challenge (Group 1 Singapore Derby on July 21) – of which the newly-created Silver Bowl kicks off the series this Sunday – will be more up his alley.
Lerner may have sat on the Steven Burridge-trained galloper only once when ninth, 2 ½ lengths off What’s New in a Class 3 race over 1400m in February, but he seems to have a fairly good idea what he will have underneath him.
He was back on in a quiet barrier trial (eighth to fellow Silver Bowl contender Eye Guy) last Thursday, a strong hint he would be handed the reins in the Silver Bowl, a race brought to life keep the 4YO series alive after the Group 1 Charity Bowl (1600m) was canned this year.
“He’s an honest horse I rode once and has progressed a lot since. I’ve watched his race replays,” said Lerner, who together with Vlad Duric, Joseph Azzopardi and seven local jockeys and apprentice jockeys just got extended till the end of the year.
“He’s an easy horse to ride. I jumped on him in a barrier trial last week, and he finished off well.
“I think he’s more of a miler than a 1400m horse and even further. He can actually race from anywhere in the field depending on the pace, but I think the speed will be on this Sunday and he will probably settle in midfield.
“This will be a big test for him, but I think he should be in the mix. Going forward, he will be a bigger factor when the distances go up. He’s more a Derby horse.”
Burridge was on the same page as Lerner, saying that Glasgow was a progressive sort who will produce his best over a mile to 1800m, especially going with the way he got stuck into the task at hand for visiting ex-Kranji jockey Barend Vorster to just beat Karisto by a short head at his last start in Class 3 company on May 5. He donned blinkers on for the first time that day, and will wear the same equipment on Sunday.
“Glasgow is an up-and-coming sort who’s already won three races for us. He’s won twice over 1400m, and once over the mile,” said the Australian trainer.
“But I think the 1400m will be too short for him this time. Looking at the way he finishes off his races, he’s looking for more distance – I think the 1800m shouldn’t be a problem.
“I’m happy with his prep and his condition going into Sunday. He’s pretty switched on, but I think he’ll be better when we step him up to 1600m.”
Glasgow, who was a one-time winner (when known as Mujaadil) over the mile at Pakenham for trainer Darren Weir before coming to Singapore, has drawn awkwardly in barrier No 14, which is expected to drop to 12 with the scratchings of the two standby starters, but it shouldn’t faze him either was as he has won his two races from well off the pace.
