It is never easy to trump Ace Of Diamonds

On paper it looked like an ordinary trial – five racers made up of two youngsters having their official race trials (ORT) and three others making up the party.

But, on closer inspection, it was more than that.

Though not gilt-edged stuff, the three experienced gallopers were an interesting bunch.

Between them they had put together 14 victories over varying distances.

And there they were, Golden Dash, Laksana and Ace Of Diamonds, going hell for leather in a 1,000m dash. There was certainly nothing shabby about the trio.

Together with newcomer Boardroom, they lined up well and jumped cleanly – except for that other newcomer, Talkintalkintiger, who was slow out of the gates and stayed in last place for all of the journey.

But there were excuses, Talkintalkintiger was still in the “education phase” and learning the ropes.

Not so Ace Of Diamonds and Laksana.

They knew what it was all about. So too did their riders.

Vlad Duric, with all of his experience, was entrusted with the reins on Ace Of Diamonds while A’Isisuhairi Kasim’s job was to steer home Laksana.

So it was, Duric kept Ace Of Diamonds right on the tail of early frontrunner Boardroom.

Another one having an ORT, Boardroom had Bruno Queiroz doing the navigating and they looked good – for 800m, at least.

As the trial progressed, there was no change in the order. Boardroom, the grey colt from Ricardo Le Grange’s yard held a slim lead over his stablemate Ace Of Diamonds.

Laksana remained in close attendance.

Into the final stretch and with a furlong to travel, Duric released the brakes on Ace Of Diamonds and the Swiss Ace three-year-old quickly ate into Boardroom’s lead before holding off a challenge from Laksana.

Ace Of Diamonds went on to take the trial by three parts of a length with Boardroom holding down third spot.

It was a good showing from the newcomer, a Justify three-year-old, who was having his third trial after beating his rivals in his second trial on Nov 7.

Incidentally, Boardroom and Ace Of Diamonds share one other thing in common.

Aside from being prepared for the races by Le Grange, they both race in the silks of owner Leonardo Jr Morales Javier.

Back to the trial winner, Ace Of Diamonds, who clocked 1min 0.27sec for the trip. He is a galloper going places.

Thrice already – and only from six race starts – he had come out on top.

From that runaway 3½-length win in the Restricted ranks on Sept 23, he went on to take the honours in a Novice event over the 1,400m on grass.

That was on Nov 11 and, among the horses he beat that day were Silo and Black Storm. The latter won a race just recently, on Jan 20.

He then went on to win a Class 4 sprint, beating Makin by a short head over the 1,400m.

There is much more to Ace Of Diamonds than what we have seen so far and his rivals in his next race should be very afraid.

Laksana, who held down second spot, is a last-start winner.

Trainer Stephen Gray has nursed the seven-year-old along patiently and to ignore him is to do so at your own peril.

After lying dormant for more than a year, he, like an angry volcano, erupted on Dec 30 when winning a Class 5 contest over the 1,800m.

The handicappers sent him up to Class 4 and he was to run in that Class 4 contest over the 1,800m on Jan 27.

But Gray decided otherwise and pulled him out of the race.

Still, keep an eye on him and do not be shy having a saver on him the next time he comes under starter’s orders. His trial tells us that he will carry form into that race.

brian@sph.com.sg