Cosmic Dancer in the groove

On a quiet Tuesday morning, as far as the trials were concerned, thanks must go to Cosmic Dancer, Per Incrown and newcomer Sacred Sky for lifting the tempo and getting racing fans stirred up.

The trio, who were all involved in the second and final trial, provided a neat finish – even if it was an “ordinary” line-up.

Sacred Sky eventually won that hit-out, beating Cosmic Dancer by a neck, with Per Incrown slotting in third.

The trial winner ran out the 1,000m trip in a modest time of 1min 00.26sec but few were concerned with what the stopwatch showed.

More than anything, they were impressed with all three gallopers – especially the showing by Cosmic Dancer.

Stepping out from Stephen Crutchley’s yard and with Bernardo Pinheiro up, Cosmic Dancer led and was embroiled in a heads-up, head-down duel with Sacred Sky all the way up the home straight.

Benny Woodworth, on the newcomer, was not in the mood to be generous.

Not giving an inch and not asking for one, he kept Cosmic Dancer on his toes and, when the finish line loomed, he had a neck margin to spare.

The fact that he had taken the rails run, which was the shortest route home, probably helped his cause.

Per Incrown, who travelled in the slipstream of the leading pair, stayed on for third, just ahead of fourth-placed Tributo, who had the services of French jockey Louis-Philippe Beuzelin.

While full credit must go to Sacred Sky for a gutsy show in his first hit-out at Kranji, a thumbs-up must go to Cosmic Dancer.

Obliged to cover extra ground when racing on the outside of Sacred Sky, he never wavered.

When push came to shove, he stuck to his guns and gave as good as he got.

Still a four-year-old, Cosmic Dancer has proven to be a good horse to have in the barn.

Four times already, he has had his photo taken with his connections and, after that trial, Pinheiro would have had only good things to say about his mount.

Cosmic Dancer’s last outing, which was under Jerlyn Seow, produced a third placing in a 1,200m contest won by January.

It came two starts after Cosmic Dancer put together three wins in a row, beginning in April and running into June.

Those were in Class 4. Promoted a class, he failed at his next two attempts but, on the strength of his trial, he has improved and, in his next couple of races, he should stand up to Class 3 company.

As for the trial winner, Sacred Sky, he can only get better.

Prepared by Jerome Tan for the Raffles Racing Stable, this newbie has yet to face the starter in a race in Singapore.

But he is not a wet-behind-the-ears kind of horse.

The five-year-old son of Zoustar knows what it takes to win a race.

Back in New Zealand, where he did most of his racing before being flown here, Sacred Sky raced as Mr Blue Sky and it was at the Arapuni Racecourse, located north of Wellington, that he opened his racing account.

That day, on April 14, and on a track rated soft, he took the honours in a Maiden event run over 1,400m.

Yes, he knows what the game is all about and, with that win at his first Kranji trial, one would think that Sacred Sky is ready to be thrown in at the deep end.

As for Per Incrown, who finished third on Tuesday morning, he is contesting Saturday’s Class 3 race over the mile.

It is his first attempt in Class 3 and it is a big step-up. So let us not get too hasty.

However, he did nothing wrong in his trial and, if you are looking for something for your quartet bet, he just might be the roughie you want to include.