3 minute read

This Sunday may shape up as a quiet day at the office for in-form trainer Stephen Gray, but he can still look forward to the runs of Hugo (pictured above) and Kharisma in the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1200m on Polytrack.

Hugo, a stable favourite home-bred product of Gray's Copperbelt Stable in New Zealand, is dropping back in grade while Kharisma  is heading up the other way, he's rising in class after landing a fourth Kranji win in Class 4 company at his last start on February 20.

The Kiwi's expectations therefore differ a little for each individual, but Class 3 is to him the median level where decent quality of racing tend to cross paths at Kranji.

"Hugo is dropping in class and is back to his rating. He had a couple of poor rides and didn't have any luck," said Gray who bred the Smart Missile five-year-old out of a mare he raced with some success at Kranji, Princess Katie, who was incidentally named after his daughter.

"It's hard to keep a horse up at the same level, but I was pleased with the way he trialled last week (March 4). He's a bit older now but he looks a lot healthier.

"He's honest when he's at the right handicap, and that's a big thing here. He's back in Class 3, where you see plenty of quality coming through, and that's what racing is all about.

"You never know. This horse always wins when people least expect him.

"On the other hand, Kharisma goes up in level, but he gets a drop in weight. He's a nice horse who doesn't do too much wrong.

"He's a good, tough, honest horse to train and he's owned by lovely people (Indonesian-born Untung Joesoef of Dago Stable, owner of 2016 Singapore Gold Cup winner Bahana). He's won all his four races over the course and distance, but it'd be interesting to see him over 1400m or more one day.

"At his last start, he had a three-kilo claimer (Iskandar Rosman), and it was a good ride by the young lad. That day he was well trained and beat that good horse of Mike Clements' (Starlight).

"This time, Mike's got that another good horse of his (Heartening Flyer) in the race. He's got a lot of those good young horses, you can't get quality if you don't put the money in.

"But I'm going in with two horses who can run well. One's back down to his grade and the other is a progressive sort who deserves to have a crack."

Gray has booked two comeback jockeys on his pair; Troy See – who returned after a 1 ½ year hiatus this season - on Kharisma, a four-year-old by Mossman, and Danny Beasley – who just came out of retirement two weeks ago - on Hugo, two men he sees as the right fit for the rides.

"JP (John Powell) was supposed to ride Hugo but he can't make the weight (56kgs). Vlad (Duric) just rode Hugo at his last barrier trial, he can't ride at that weight either, but he is always good at giving me some guidance after a trial," said Gray.

"So I was fortunate to get Danny on Hugo in the end. He's a strong rider and he will suit him.

"Danny and I go back a long way. I've given him a couple of rides since he came back, and he won on Runminderbinderrun last Saturday.

"As for Troy, he said he could ride Kharisma at that weight – 54kgs after claiming one kilo. He's desperate for a winner.

"I'm a great believer in people who are keen to do well, and Troy is one of them. The other day (February 13), he rode Wecando for me and he rode him extremely well (second to Heartening Flyer), he's more than a capable rider."

The former 2018 Singapore champion apprentice jockey has won three races since returning to the saddle in January.

Gray, on the other hand, has enjoyed a much more productive start to the new season. After a muted January with only one winner (Hyde Park), he quickly caught up when he hit a purple patch with five winners in February, leaping to fourth spot on the Singapore trainer's premiership on seven winners, eight behind leader Michael Clements.

Besides Hugo and Kharisma, Gray, who, from his beginnings in 2000, is the longest-serving expat trainer after Clements in Singapore, saddles only three other runners on Sunday, Lord Justice, King Pin and veteran campaigner Billy Britain, who on paper, don't seem to be exactly big hopes in their respective contests, but you never know when the Midas touch is with you.