Real Efecto in splendid shape

If there is a workhorse in trainer David Kok’s yard, it has to be Real Efecto.

He has already run 30 races at Kranji, picking up six wins, three seconds and six thirds.

On three other occasions, he has made the board when finishing fourth. He is not yet done.

Right now, Real Efecto is Class 3 opposition and, come Saturday, he will be lending his weight to that interesting event over the Polytrack 1,700m.

He takes on several younger talents, including the very capable Raising Sixty-One, who is labelled by trainer Tim Fitzsimmons as a “proper stayer and the fittest horse in the stable”.

That is a huge compliment when one takes into account the number of quality horses the Australian handler has in his care.

But, if anything, we reckon, Real Efecto could put a dent in Raising Sixty-One’s attempt for his fourth consecutive success.

For one thing, we know that the six-year-old is in rattling form. He was on the training track on Tuesday morning and he did not disappoint.

With Kranji’s leading hoop Manoel Nunes doing the steering, Real Efecto ran out the 600m in a breezy 39.4sec.

The workout came on the back of a trial on Aug 31, when he ran fourth to Gold Ten Sixty-One.

As for the trip, Real Efecto should lap it up. After all, it was just two starts back, on July 2, that he turned on the style to record his sixth career win.

A tad slow to get going, he was last when the field straightened for the run home.

But, unperturbed, A’Isisuhairi Kasim got him into overdrive and he produced a blinding finish to take the honours.

That race was over the mile. Expect him to be even better over the longer 1,700m. He will certainly give Raising Sixty-One a run for his money.

Aside from that Class 3 race, which tops Saturday’s programme of 12 races, the Class 3 sprint is also one to savour.

When entries closed, it had a capacity field of runners and 10 trainers shooting for glory in the 1,200m contest.

For the spectator in the grandstand, it is going to be exciting. For the racegoer who might want to drop $5 on the outcome, it could be a nightmare.

Well, to help that second group along, three of the sprinters were out on the training track and they caught the eye.

Gold Ten Sixty-One stopped the clock in 39.5. Red Ocean (Matthew Kellady) in 40.1 and Pacific Warrior (Wong Chin Chuen) in 38.7.

Another one from Fitzsimmons’ barn of quality horses, Gold Ten Sixty-One is already a four-time winner and he gets into the race on the back of a second placing behind Major King on July 30.

Rested for a month, Fitzsimmons sent him to the trials on Aug 31 and we now know that it was a stable queue-up with Gold Ten Sixty-One beating Raising Sixty-One in a photo-finish.

Locked together like Siamese twins, the pair clocked 1min 00.70sec and 1min 00.72sec respectively.

Already a multiple winner from just 14 starts, Gold Ten Sixty-One is the real deal.

Red Ocean is another whose form is on an upward trajectory. He has won five from 21 races and, for this latest assignment, he drops back from Class 2.

A versatile sort trained by Shane Baertschiger, the Polytrack will not be much of a hindrance as his last win on March 12 was on the alternate surface.

On form, he will make his presence felt on Saturday.

As for Pacific Warrior, we have yet to see him at his best. Then again, he has only been to the races six times, so the jury is out as to his real potential.

Trained by Michael Clements for Pacific Stable, Pacific Warrior was a six-figure purchase as a yearling.

He was involved in some high-class races in Australia before being flown here on Jan 30.

Quick to acclimatise, he had his first start in April and served notice of better things to come when he ran second to Nate’s Champion.

His win came on July 23 but that was in a Class 4 event over the 1,400m. He is now in Class 3 and running over the shorter distance of 1,200m, but is in good enough condition to defy the promotion.