3 minute read

A dismal last-start run has not steered trainer David Kok away from his original plan of aiming Real Efecto at the second Leg of the abridged Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge.

Just after Real Efecto's brilliant maiden win under Vlad Duric in a Polytrack mile race for Restricted Maidens on March 6, Kok locked away the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) on July 18 as a legit target while keeping the first Leg, the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint (1200m) on June 27 as an option. The third Leg, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) has been dropped as part of a streamlining measure of our feature race line-up.

Buoyancy could have, however, made way for despondency after the son of Real Impact ran last to Be You following a torrid run in a Novice race over 1400m on March 20, but an undeterred Kok is pressing on.

"Duric said he couldn't settle, he was difficult to settle. In the end, he had to bring him out or he would have clipped heels," said Kok.

"He's a horse who likes to chase frontrunners. He's such a strong horse.

"So I will forget that run. He's still going for the second Leg, I'm not sure about the first Leg, though, it's too early to tell, we'll see in due course.

"He's my only three-year-old who's good enough for the 3YO races. I just hope we can teach him to relax by then."

That feistiness was again apparent at his barrier trial on Tuesday, with Kok tinkering with the gear in a bid to address the issue.

"I wanted an easy trial, but he didn't want to sit at the back. He went hard again, and finished second," said Kok.

"Harry (A'Isisuhairi Kasim) rode him for the first time this morning. He said he was pulling him into the race, and he had no other choice but to let him roll forward out wide.

"His next race will be over 1600m. Harry will ride him, and I'll be using a special bit, which I hope can make him easier to control."

A'Isisuhairi will certainly welcome any aid that can help him keep his arms.

"It was a nice gallop, but he's a very strong boy. I was screaming out loud out there, he was pulling my arms off," he said.

"It was my first time riding him, he's big and strong, and he wants to show who he is.

"I think he's a horse with good ability, but horses like that, if they don't listen, whatever ability they may have, it won't be put to good use.

"We must teach him to settle first so that we can control him better. The day he stops pulling is the day he'll become a better horse.

"To me, he can run 1600m, but if the pace is slow, the danger is he can start pulling his head off. I think 1400m would be better at this stage, not too fast, not too slow, but I leave it to David to decide which way he wants to go."