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Mark Walker will use Inherit’s next race this Friday as a final guide to any chance of a Singapore Derby start in three weeks’ time.
The Pierro four-year-old has found competition tougher when pushed up to Class 3 company at his last two starts, albeit a third place to Strong N Powerful in a turf mile race at his last start on March 15 still raised some hope.
One more roll of the dice in the $70,000 Class 3 race over the Polytrack mile should give a better idea if a start in the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) on April 18 remains conceivable for the four-time winner.
Louis-Philippe Beuzelin, who was aboard at Inherit 's last-start third, will again take the reins this Friday. Although there is no actual standout in the 12-horse field, the likes of Elite Conquest , Minister , Glasgow and Yaya Papaya make for serious opposition.
The Singapore Derby is the third Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, of which the first two Legs (Silver Bowl and Stewards' Cup) have already been run with Inherit skipping both.
"It was a good run at his last start, but he's taking on a pretty handy field tomorrow," said Walker.
"He's been running mainly on grass, but he handles the Polytrack well as he won on it first-up (September 8, 2019).
"If he runs well enough, he might then run in the Derby. He was placed (third) over 1900m in Sydney (Canterbury), so he can take the distance.
"I didn't run him in the first two Legs as they were too short for him."
In Australia, Inherit was a one-time winner over 1200m at Newcastle in July 2018 when prepared by Sydney champion trainer Chris Waller. As a better gauge of that third place in the 1900m race at Canterbury in February 2019, which was his first test over more ground, the winner was Leslie Khoo's former handy Kranji stayer Zip A Dee Doo Dah.
Walker started off with a few more Derby hopefuls, but after Altair ran ordinarily in the first Leg, and Federation returned with a cracked heel after his last start, the three-time Singapore champion trainer is left with only two bullets, Inherit and another longshot, Axel.
The son of Darci Brahma represented the stable in the Group 2 Stewards' Cup (1600m) last Friday, never making his presence felt with a 10th finish to Siam Blue Vanda. It's not the kind of qualifier a trainer would have hoped for, but Walker hasn't pulled the Derby pin on the Te Akau Racing Stable-owned galloper either.
"The Derby is still a remote chance for Axel, just in case it rains on that day. He loves a wet track," said the Kiwi handler.
"He was outpaced the other day (Stewards' Cup). Like I said, it'll be a throw at the stumps in the Derby.
"He wouldn't have the class to compete at that level, but the owners want to have a crack. He may get a wet track, you never know."
