3 minute read
Louis-Philippe Beuzelin shook his head in disbelief when he took cognizance of his barriers this weekend, but was heartened by one silver lining.
It's not such a hopeless case for his main mission, Bold Thruster in the $175,000 Group 3 Silver Bowl (1400m) on Saturday.
The noted on-pace runner has drawn 12 from 14 in the first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge.
At first glance, it's not ideal, more so when the black son of Turffontein isn't exactly bombproof in the machine, having missed the kick a few times, which proved costly in the end, but the French jockey, who will be at his first association with the four-time Group 3 winner, is a half-full glass kinda man.
"Bold Thruster drew wide at his last few starts, and still ran well. Last time (Fortune Bowl), he jumped on terms, but as it was a 1400m race, he was able to go forward," said Beuzelin, who, by virtue of his position as trainer Michael Clements' No 1 rider this season, snapped up the ride with Singapore champion jockey Vlad Duric electing to stick with Top Knight.
"It was his first time over 1400m, and he just scraped home. To me, it was his previous run in the New Year Cup (1200m) that is more telling, he missed the start, got back and flew home.
"That means he is not one-dimensional, and he actually has tactical speed. He has both gate speed and a nice turn of foot, and whichever way the race unfolds, we will ride him accordingly, and he should be just as competitive.
"If he begins well, we may come across and go forward, depending on the speedmap. I know the 1400m seems to be his limit, but the Short Course will help him if he is in front.
"If he misses the start, then we can drop back and let him come home as we know he can finish like a cannonball.
"So, the wide barrier is not the end of the world. It may actually work in his favour, and at the same time, he may also be loaded last for a start.
"Anyway, I think he's improved his barrier manners. He was very good at the barrier practice the other day, I just let him stand in and he was very calm.
"More importantly, the horse is in very good form. I ride him in trackwork, but mostly in slow work as his track rider does all his gallops. There is no need to change that.
"Top Knight, his own stablemate, will be hard to beat, especially at level weights, but Bold Thruster is the highest-rated horse in the race and as long as I can get him to run relaxed, he will be a big chance.
"I've had no luck at the barriers this week, but let's just say Bold Thruster is not the worst of them."
From Beuzelin's 12 rides this weekend, three-quarter of them have drawn off the track, with five in double digits, namely Imperium and Implement (both drawing outermost alleys in 14 and 15), Rocket Winner (14), Moongate Star (13) and Bold Thruster (12).
"75% of my rides have drawn badly. I can't believe my rotten luck," said Beuzelin, whose 2020 season was stymied by suspensions and is only starting to pick up.
"It's okay if they are the sorts with a bit of 'margin', that is they can come across into a handy spot without having to be busted early. Or else, they won't have anything left in the tank in the end.
"Like I said before, it's part of racing and we have to make do with that. It's the suspensions that I would rather not have, and touch wood, I stay out of trouble as I don't want the momentum to stop.
"There are more important rides coming up and I can't afford to go on holiday."
Clements also saddles Siam Blue Vanda (Daniel Moor) and Real Success (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) in the Silver Bowl, but would probably be the first one to be knocked off his socks if the lower half of his foursome upstages the better-fancied upper half.
"All horses are well. It's all down to their jockeys and luck in the running, but realistically, Top Knight and Bold Thruster, on ratings and at level weights, are the two main chances," said the Zimbabwean-born trainer.
"Top Knight got beat a nose by Aramaayo, but he gave him 5.5kgs then and this time, they will carry the same weight. As for Bold Thruster, he's in good nick, the barrier as we've seen is not a problem, I'd say I'd rather he comes from behind, especially over seven furlongs.
"Siam Blue Vanda won well first-up, but he is still not quite in the same class, especially at level weights. Real Success needs more ground and is more of a Derby horse.
"But we've been in this game long enough to know that a race is run out there and not on paper."
Reprogrammed to a new early timeslot from this year onwards, the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge moves on to the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m) on March 20, before winding up with the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) on April 18.
