Clements' 3yo Sprint quintet in superb form

Trainer holds the aces in Group 3 race with four winners and a trial-winning newcomer

Apr 05, 2023 12:09 am

Saturday is going to be special for race-goers at Kranji.

They will get to see some equine marvels whose names could soon be rolling off their tongues.

Yes, it is upon us – the Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint.

Run over the 1,200m on grass, it will – as always – bring together the most precocious and temperamental talents residing in our Kranji stalls.

They will be racing for a total prize purse of $110,000 and bragging rights.

And already the posturing has begun.

Most of the runners in the Sprint were out on the training track on Monday and Tuesday.

Under the watchful eyes of their connections, they were put through their paces and each looked like a schoolyard bully – all might and macho.

Trainer Michael Clements, who is represented by five runners in the big race, would have been a busy man on Monday.

His “quintet” of youngsters drew the oohs and ahhs from the early risers at trackside.

They would have been impressed by the pair of Coin Toss and Pacific Warrior. Doing their bit on turf, they ran out the 600m in 38.70sec.

A’Isisuhairi Kasim partnered Coin Toss and the two-time winner will have loads of admirers in the sprint.

As for Pacific Warrior, he has yet to face the starter in a race but his trial form has been impressive.

It was as recent as March 30 that he won his Thursday morning hit-out in style.

That day, when steered along by Wong Chin Chuen, he came home from second at the turn into the straight to beat his stablemate, Mongol Warrior, by three parts of a length.

Pacific Warrior ran the trip in 1min 00.18sec. By Snitzel, he could be anything on his racing debut.

Also paired off for their workout were Pacific Hero and Takanini, both last-start winners.

Sent out on the Polytrack, they covered the 600m in 39.10.

Clements, the 2020 Singapore champion, would have been pleased.

By Exceed And Excel, Pacific Hero has already experienced that winning feeling, having beaten them all in a race on March 25. He won that one by almost three lengths.

Then again, that win at his second start was forthcoming. After all, Pacific Hero had put in a terrific trial on March 2.

That day, he ran his rivals ragged when covering the 1,000m in 58.83.

Only a select few can go under a minute in their first trial.

For his effort, Pacific Hero served notice that he must and should be taken seriously in the big sprint.

As for Takanini, he tossed his hat into the ring when winning on debut on March 12.

Under similar conditions to Saturday, he came from off the pace to hold off a challenge from Arya Pakuan before winning by over a length.

Now that we know just how good Arya Pakuan is, utmost respect must be accorded to Takanini.

So what about Clements’ fifth runner, Petrograd? How good is he?

He has been in seven races already and has two wins.

On Monday, Clements sent him for two rounds of work and Petrograd ran the last 600m in that second lap in a smart 35.10.

Watch him for a big show.

There was no shortage of action on Tuesday morning and a couple of them caught the eye.

Knippenberg was one of them. Cash Cove was the other.

The son of I Am Invincible, Knippenberg was kept on a good hold by Ronnie Stewart to run the 600m in 41.40.

It was not the fastest of workouts but it was full of merit.

Knippenberg is coming along really well and he could be the ace in Donna Logan’s three-card hand.

Knippenberg showed great acceleration when winning first-up.

That was on Jan 28. He was expected to make it two from two on Feb 18 but, on the day, he found one to beat in Bestseller.

As for Cash Cove, he was all go, running the 600m in 35.50.

To date, he has been a moneyspinner for trainer Alwin Tan, having saluted the judge four times in 10 starts.

He is also one of four runners who share top ratings in the sprint.

He currently sits on 67 and will carry the No. 1 saddlecloth in the big race.