Makin makes it look so easy at barrier trials

It is an impressive report card. Four wins, four second-placed finishes and a third. All of that from just 14 starts at Kranji.

Yes, Makin is truly stamping himself as a big deal in this last season of racing in Singapore, and his owners, the popular Al-Arabiya Stable, sure know they have a gem of a horse racing in their familiar blue and white colours.

Well, Makin was at the trials on the morning of May 30 and, once again, he gave all who were at trackside and those watching the action “live” on their TV sets, a really good account of himself.

Ridden by Manoel Nunes, who pulled off a four-timer at the just-concluded meeting on May 25, Makin was off like a charm, but Nunes seemed happy to have him settle in third spot.

To avoid the kickback from Lim’s Craft – the mount of Bruno Queiroz – and Eruption, who was ridden by Ryan Curatolo, Nunes peeled Makin to the outside of runners.

Sure, it meant he had to cover more ground but the Brazilian hoop must have thought, “why not? I am on the best horse in the field”.

So there he stayed – happy and content as he gained ground at the 600m to be just a length behind stablemate Lim’s Craft, who seemed to be enjoying his morning spin around the track.

Into the home stretch and straightening for the run home, Nunes sent Makin into overdrive and, like a good horse, the four-year-old lengthened strides.

Rather easily, he collared Lim’s Craft and, at the finish, he had put 1½ lengths on the eight-year-old.

It was not the fastest of trials – Makin did the 1,000m in 1min 0.22sec – but it was indicative of a horse who is shipshape.

Just like that, trainer Steven Burridge had the quinella and Makin had another “1” beside his name, though he would clearly prefer that coveted number to his podium finish in the Group 3 Silver Bowl (1,400m) on June 9.

That is just the first milestone on his agenda. The Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1,600m) is next up on June 30 followed by the grand final, the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1,800m) on July 21.

Just to recollect, Makin put together a hat-trick of wins from Feb 24 to March 30.

He was shooting for a four-in-a-row feat at his last start on May 4. But it all came apart when, over the distance of 1,600m, he was swamped by Cavalry and Raising Sixty-One, who came from out of the blue to finish first and second respectively.

Right now, that is best forgotten. On the strength of his win at the trials, Makin is fit and ready for the Silver Bowl.

The opening trial of the morning saw Nunes in flowing form as he steered Geobels Glory to a breezy victory.

The Kermadec (same sire as two-time Singapore Horse of the Year Lim’s Kosciuszko) three-year-old from Tim Fitzsimmons’ yard had control of the trial from the get-go and, under the Brazilian rider, he eventually made every post a winning one.

Geobels Glory got off the mark at his second start on Sept 9. It was a rather comprehensive victory and much was expected from him at his subsequent starts.

However, and like it is with some horses, he went “flat”.

Fitzsimmons sent him to the races and the trials a total of 12 times but Geobels Glory never seemed able to reproduce that winning feel until that last trial.

However, he did show something at his last start on May 12.

That day, in a 1,400m contest, he made the board when finishing third in that race won by Pacific Star.

Then came that win at the trials. Fitzsimmons will be hoping it is a sign that Geobels Glory has finally turned the corner.

Mention must also go to the runner-up, Goldenfield.

A newcomer to Kranji, he traded blows with Geobels Glory for 900m of the 1,000m trip and capitulated only over the final 100m when Geobels Glory produced that spurt which launched him to victory.

Prepared by Ricardo Le Grange, Goldenfield – who was partnered by Bernardo Pinheiro – is a handsome Brazilian-bred chestnut owned by the same Hong Kong-based connections as Hongkong Great and Maxima, the Yue family.

Just like his two stablemates in blue and white checks, Goldenfield also raced in that ultra-competitive Hong Kong arena where he was trained by Chris So.

His last start was at Sha Tin on Feb 18. That day, in a 1,200m sprint he ran last to Victory Moments, a recent winner at Sha Tin on May 29.

It might be a good idea to give the 60-point rater plenty of thought when he pops up for his Singapore debut.

Though beaten at his first official hit-out, the four-year-old attracted attention with his early speed.

Yes, it does look like he could soon be ready to make new friends at his new home.

brian@sph.com.sg