Ghalib, Flying Fighter primed

Trainer Steven Burridge could have a good meeting on June 16.

He will saddle up seven runners in the 10-race programme and outstanding among them are Flying Fighter and Ghalib.

They are down to contest Race 2 and Race 5 respectively and, in the form that they are in, you canbet they will have trainloads of fans at Kranji.

Burridge, who sits sixth in the 2024 trainers’ premiership with 19 winners, sent both his racers out for a spotof work on June 12 and, separately, they turned in prettysmart gallops.

As if it was all pre-planned, Flying Fighter stopped the clock at 38sec whileGhalib covered the 600m in exactly the same time.

Both were ridden by champion jockey Manoel Nunes.

Right now, it is a wonder how Flying Fighter has not greeted the judge yet.

He has had 10 starts since showing up for his first race on July 2, 2023. That day, he raced greenly and finished down the course.

He was not a factor at his next four starts, which were all in the 2023 season.

However, Burridge must have put him through the wringer because he came into the current season looking and running like a different horse.

The polish had gone on and Flying Fighter seemed ready to race.

He won a trial on Feb 29 and carried that form to his next race where, for the first time, he made the board when finishing fourth behind Pacific General in a Class 5 1,200m event on March 17.

He had four more outings after that and picked up two seconds and two third placings.

He was distinctly unlucky two starts back on May 12 when, in a 1,200m race, he had to be steadied near the 700m and was carried wide near the 300m.

Despite all that, he stillfinished second behind Sacred Gold.

And at his last run on May 25, he again encountered serious traffic problems and had to be content with third place.

Still, he did finish less than two lengths behind the winner, Ben’s Champion, in that Open Maiden event over 1,400m.

A three-year-old by Showtime, Flying Fighter deserves a winning break and he could find it on June 16 when he goes over the 1,600m in an Open Maiden contest.

As for Ghalib, he is one of the stars in the Burridge yard.

Since trotting over from Michael Clements’ stable to take up residence with Burridge, he has won four races for his new master – making that six wins in all.

And, to think, the four-year-old son of I Am Invincible has had only 11 starts at Kranji.

That is a fine report card and it could look even more impressive when he steps out against some formidable rivals in the $100,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1,400m.

There is Golden Monkey and, among others, he must contend with last-startwinner and stablemate Ejaz.

While his races this season have all been over the shorter trips, he did win a Class 3 1,400m contest on Nov 25, 2023.

He took that one by a nose but what made it all the more impressive was the fact that he received a check during the race but still managed to deliver the goods.

Last time out, on May 18, Ghalib was beaten over 1,200m by the super smart Lim’s Saltoro – yes, the same youngster who took out the Group 3 Silver Bowl on June 9.

With Lim’s Saltoro out of the picture on June 16, the path seems clear for Ghalib to punch home his seventh career win.

Race-goers will also be keen to see how Ravalli fares in Race 3.

The three-year-old left a fine impression on them when he finished second to Hole In One at his debut on May 18. That day, in a Novice event over 1,200m on turf, he was sent off as the $18 top pick.

Ravalli will go into this one on the back of a sparkling trial on June 6, when he came from a distant second upon straightening to put Smart Gambit to the sword.

In winning, he clocked a smart 59.92sec for the 1,000m.

Yes, he looks razor sharp and trainer Tim Fitzsimmons will be hoping the three-year-old son of Ilovethiscity is strong enough to tame his six rivals in the Class 4 1,200m turf race on June 16.

brian@sph.com.sg