3 minute read

A daring gamble to gain a late entry for Argentinian stayer Senor Don into next Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) has all but paid off on Sunday.

On 73 points, Senor Don was 22nd in the order of entry in the third and final Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series, but following his maiden Singapore win in Sunday's $70,000 Trudeau 2013 Stakes Class 3 race over the Polytrack mile at his fourth start, trainer Ricardo Le Grange is confident it should be enough to make into the last 16.

The South African trainer, however, stressed that the one proviso to a start would be for the Senor Candy four-year-old to show no ill-effects from Sunday's run in which he had to slog through the rain-soaked Polytrack to stave Time Lord (Ruan Maia) off by half-a-length.

Axel (Benny Woodworth) finished third another three and a quarter lengths away. The winning time was 1min 40.60secs for the 1600m on the Polytrack.

"He's got to get in now, but first he must pull up in good order," said Le Grange.

"There was a lot of rain, so I told Krisna (Thangamani) to be up on the pace. He was fit for that race and he had to go forward.

"That was his racing pattern in Argentina, racing on the speed. He also enjoyed the Polytrack, he won on sand back home.

"I think the gelding operation straight after his last run also helped him."

Senor Don 's last start came in the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) when he was prominent throughout before fading late to beat one home, but only around seven lengths off the outstanding Inferno.

Le Grange was particularly pleased that last-ditch attempt to sneak Senor Don into the Singapore Gold Cup has come off, more so when the Chelsea Stable had acquired him with that race as his ultimate goal, never mind if he is scraping in by the skin of his teeth.

"The owners bought him for the Gold Cup, but let's see how he pulls up first," he said.

"The Chelsea Stable has been long-time supporters of (ex-Kranji trainer and his former mentor) Patrick (Shaw) and myself and it's great to see their horse may get a start.

"It was also a great ride by Krisna. He's showing great confidence these days."