3 minute read

The James Peters trained Cheval Rapide looks well placed to return to the winner’s stall when set to contest the penultimate event at Kranji on Saturday.

Dropping back to Class 4 company for the first time since April, Cheval Rapide lines up off a rating of 67 – a very winnable mark for the seven-year-old.

The last time he raced off this mark, he won impressively at this course by three lengths, resulting in him rising to a rating of 74.

Former champion Singapore jockey Manoel Nunes returns to race riding this Saturday and legs aboard the gelding for the first time.

Not seen in Singapore since 2017, Nunes will be out to capture the form that saw him reign supreme in Singapore in the mid-2010s.

During that time he claimed the Singapore champion jockey title three times running from 2014 to 2016.

Since then he has plied his trade in Macau, Korea and Mauritius, but did make a cameo pitstop visit at Kranji in September 2019 to ride Countofmontecristo in the Group 1 Raffles Cup.

Currently stranded on 496 winners in Singapore, Nunes is only four wins away from a very impressive milestone and will be out to eclipse that 500 mark as soon as possible.

The main danger appears to be the Dan Meagher trained Lim's Straight who returns from a lengthy break (336 days).

An impressive winner on debut he started favourite in the Group 3 Singapore Golden Horseshoe when last seen.

Not disgraced in the feature, Lim's Straight was spelled and has been given three trials in the lead up.

While finishing at the tail in all three he has never been let go and creates plenty of interest in his return.

On best form he is certainly well placed and a market watch is strongly advised.

The Stephen Gray trained Our Pinnacle continues to race well and has only been narrowly beaten at his last two starts.

An eye catcher behind Wild Bee last start he only looks to have to repeat that level of performance to be right in the finish again.

Of the rest the Michael Clements trained Siam Royal Orchid appears the next in line.

Good luck and happy punting.