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No walk in the park but Peters is a Warrior

3 minute read

A three-in-a-row from Siam Warrior looks a tall order against 2019 champion two-year-old Inferno this Saturday, but regardless of what he does, he has already been a shining light to trainer James Peters’ rather quiet start to the season thus far.

SIAM WARRIOR winning the CLASS 3
SIAM WARRIOR winning the CLASS 3 Picture: Singapore Turf Club

Siam Warrior 's two-from-two wins this year make up two-thirds of the English trainer's haul in 2020.

Had the former Godolphin-owned and James Cummings-trained two-time winner (then known simply as Siam) not recaptured form at the right moment, Peters' score would have been even less flattering - only Arc Triumph's win on February 7.

Peters said the now Jayven See-owned galloper was still thriving, but up against trainer Cliff Brown's undefeated Inferno (four-from-four, including the Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe) in the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1200m, he is not so sure the Exceed And Excel five-year-old can rescue him this time.

Even if he would have loved it for sentimental reason. The race is named after a horse Michael Freedman's former assistant-trainer knows very well, two-time Singapore Horse of the Year Super Easy.

"Siam Warrior is in great form, he won first-up and won a nice race in Class 3 (over 1400m on February 10. He's come through that last win very well, and I'm very happy with the way he's been working," said Peters.

"He's, however, got an ordinary draw (outermost in 11) this time. He's got the gate speed to roll forward, but whether he can match with Inferno, that's another story, but it'll also be a big test for Inferno.

"Siam Warrior always showed promise from Day 1 when he won on debut (April 19), but like all Class 3 horses, they need time to find their feet.

"I gave him more time and when he came back, I was confident he would win again. Whether he can hold his form remains to be seen, but I think he can be competitive in this grade.

"He's a five-year-old, so there are no grand plans for him, but who knows, if he keeps winning, things may change."

At his fifth season in Singapore, Peters is enduring his worst start thus far, but remained upbeat things will also change for the better for his stable.

As much as Siam Warrior has been a lifesaver in the first two months of the season, Peters is not relying on only one horse to keep the home fires burning.

The squad has dwindled to only 25 horses in the last six months, even seeing the soft-spoken trainer downgrade to a smaller stabling block soon (that of reigning champion trainer Mark Walker's who is himself moving to bigger digs), but the yard is anything but in the throes of despair.

"It's become increasingly hard to attract new owners. We've seen a big drop in numbers in the last 18 months," said Peters.

"We're down to 25 and we're moving into a new block, but things are starting to look up. I have six Argentinian-breds that the Greenstreet Stable of Justin Vermaak have bought and are on their way soon.

"Dr KC Tan (Kai Chah) has also bought four horses. Hopefully, we'll have 12 to 13 new horses coming through soon, they'll need a few months to get ready and I would say we will have a better finish at the back end of the year."

In the meantime, besides a good dose of patience, what will help him hold the fort is his trusty old guard, like old stalwart Skywalk, who is running in the $100,000 War Affair 2015 Stakes, a Kranji Stakes A race over 1100m on Saturday.

Peters could not help marvel at the eight-time winner by Battle Paint, even if his legs are not as youthful as before.

"He's a rising seven, but he's only lightly-raced – only 24 starts and he's at his fifth season," he said.

"He's been with me from Day 1, but had a few setbacks in the past, mainly leg issues, and that's why he was away for six months. I think that has helped him with his racing longevity.

"He ran really good first-up when he was beaten only by Bold Thruster. He then ran in the Group 3 New Year Cup and ran a top race (second to Nowyousee).

"We then stepped him up in distance in the Fortune Bowl (1400m) but that didn't work out. We had to have a throw at the stumps as there was no other race.

"He's back to his preferred distance and track this Saturday. With his rating (101), he has to carry the topweight (58 kgs), and it's never easy against the up-and-comers

"But as I said, he is also relatively lightly-raced. I think he can still be competitive at this level."

Just like Siam Warrior, Skywalk will be ridden by Vlad Duric and has drawn barrier No 7 in the small but select eight-horse field. Even though Zac Kasa, another resumer, hails from the same era, they have never crossed swords, while Excelling and My Dreamliner, the two likely top picks, will be the young guns he will have to give weight to – as much as six kilos (My Dreamliner).


Singapore Turf Club

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