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Former Singapore Horse of the Year I’m Incredible took one step closer to his racing comeback after he was seen at the Kranji barrier trials on Tuesday morning.
In taking the 2019 champion horse to his first barrier trial since spelling him last August, trainer Shane Baertschiger was putting the last couple of finishing touches ahead of his imminent return.
A Class 1 race over 1400m on February 13 has been pencilled in as the Doha Stable's galloper's first race since his unplaced effort in the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) on August 16.
With Matthew Kellady up, the six-year-old six-time winner trialled handy in second spot before easing off in fifth place, looking bright and fit, over four lengths off the winner Qaraat (formerly Super Fortune, and ridden by Juan Paul van der Merwe) who led all of the way.
In his indomitable frontrunning style, the Lope De Vega chestnut took all before him in the 2019 season, reeling off a five-in-a-row that culminated with three Group wins, including the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) under Vlad Duric, and ultimately the coveted Singapore Horse of the Year award.
His form, however, nosedived dramatically last year. He raced only three times in the COVID-19-wrecked season, but his two-figure placings at all three starts, including a distant 13th to stablemate Aramaayo in the Group 1 Kranji Mile, told Baertschiger the spark was missing, and a break could be the answer.
I'm Incredible seems to be thriving again, but the Australian handler still won't get too carried away, especially if he used last year's deceptive pattern as a guide.
"Everything he's doing tells me he's in good form, but that's exactly what he did last year after that long hard second preparation when he won a Group 1 race – and then he went terrible," said Baertschiger.
"He had a similar spell, was doing well in his lead-up to the races, trialled really good, but he didn't come back to the same form.
"We had him checked, there was nothing wrong with him, but I still decided to give him a three-month spell after the Kranji Mile.
"He had a quiet trial today, but he doesn't go well on Polytrack, anyway. He'll trial again next Thursday.
"He seems to be doing well, but like I said, we'll have to wait until raceday to have a better idea.
"Harry (A'Isisuhairi Kasim who partnered him to his two Group 3 wins) will ride him in a Class 1 race over 1400m on February 13."
Meanwhile, Baertschiger will be hoping for a newer resident to live up to the promise shown at his debut second, Gentlemen Exellent.
The former Victorian two-time winner (1000m and 1200m, when known as Treaty Of Seville) stormed home late under Kellady to run second to the brilliant Knight Love in a Class 4 race over the Polytrack 1000m on December 27.
The Shooting To Win four-year-old will this time step up in distance to 1200m in the $50,000 Class 4 race for conditions Baertschiger see as more suitable.
"The 1000m was too short. He's raced up to 1800m in Australia," he said.
"He won his barrier trial last week (January 21) by leading. In Australia, he went forward but he can also come from behind.
"If he draws a barrier on Saturday, he will be handy. Trent (Busuttin) used to train him and recommended I have him."
Kellady was again the pilot in the barrier trial, and will jump back on in Saturday's second-up race.
Spelling nazis would have noticed the second word of the new name he was registered under seems to have a typo – Exellent and not Excellent.
Baertschiger, however, explained that the horse's new owner V Mahendran (of SMR Stable, owner of Gentlemen Agreement and the famous Samy's Curry Restaurant in Dempsey) was no Scrabble cheater.
The Malayan Racing Association (MRA) rules for naming horses cap the number of characters to 18, including space. Gentlemen Excellent would have exceeded by one character.
"They wouldn't let it through, so Samy dropped the 'c'. That's how we now have a horse with a misspelled name," said Baertschiger.
