Surpass Natural makes it interesting at the trials

If they gave away prizes for trial winners, Surpass Natural would have a bulging trophy cabinet.

Nine times already, including his win on Tuesday, he has topped these early morning hit-outs and, if you are counting, he is now sitting on five straight wins, beginning on May 17.

Sure as ever, he loves these rehearsal jaunts and, like a good horse, he tries his best to bring that trial form to the races.

And he has. Seven times already, from 18 starts, Surpass Natural has trotted into the winners’ enclosure.

More about that later. For now, the trial.

Ridden by Jerlyn Seow, Surpass Natural jumped cleanly and quickly claimed the lead in a trial which featured some high-class racers like Rocket Star, Senor Don and Street Of Dreams.

But the Elvstroem seven-year-old was hardly overawed by the company he was in.

Indeed, he thrived on the competition and led them to the 600m marker.

Into the home stretch and Vittoria Perfetta, the mount of Ibrahim Mamat, drew alongside. It only served to spur him on.

Having broken Vittoria Perfetta’s spirit at the furlong mark, he had to contend with Rocket Star (Krisna Thangamani), who loomed late.

In a heads-up, heads-down dash to the line, Surpass Natural prevailed by a nostril.

Third, a neck away, came Vittoria Perfetta. Surpass Natural clocked 60.47sec for the 1,000m, the last 600m in a swift 34.4sec.

Trained by Mahadi Taib, Surpass Natural has been finding it hard to put an eighth win on the board.

Indeed, his last win was in January 2021. Since then, he has lost his way.

He raced just twice in the season just concluded and, if there was a sign that he was not done yet, it came at his last start on Nov 5.

In a classy race over 1,200m, he failed to mow down eventual winner Lucky Jinsha by ½-length.

Still, it was a huge effort and it could pay to watch the old fellow when he next goes to the races.

Back to that trial and, of course, there was plenty to like about Rocket Star’s showing.

After enjoying a stellar 2020 season which saw him win four races, he went off the boil in both 2021 and 2022.

In his defence, in that period, he raced only six times due to respiratory issues.

Trainer Ricardo Le Grange has kept the faith with his galloper and we should be seeing and hearing a lot more of Rocket Star in 2023.

While Rocket Star did take second, Le Grange, who finished the 2022 season in fourth place with 36 winners, had a good day at the trials.

He saddled three winners from the seven hit-outs. They were Bestseller in the opener, Renzo in the fifth and Sayonara in the last.

Bestseller, a three-year-old who is still finding his feet, looks to have some kind of future ahead of him.

He impressed when beating Popeyethesailorman and Groovy in stylish fashion.

Taking the lead on settling, his rider Krisna had him on a good hold all the way.

When push came to shove at the furlong mark, he dug in to win by 1½ lengths in 60.62. He clocked a quick 34.8 for the last 600m.

A son by Dream Ahead, Bestseller has already shown promise in two starts. He finished fourth on debut and third at his last start in October.

A six-figure purchase as a two-year-old, he comes from a good line of sprinters.

With natural progression, he should soon start paying for his keep.

Renzo needs little introduction.

The Argentinian-bred closed off the 2021 season with a second to the talented King Arthur and opened his 2022 campaign with another second-placed effort, beaten by Den Of Thieves on Jan 2.

Still a four-year-old, the son of Orpen is not the finished product.

Then, to complete Le Grange’s trifecta, there was the old campaigner, Sayonara. He won his trial with a fine come-from-midfield spurt over the final 300m.

Again partnered by Krisna, who topscored with three winners on Tuesday, the Shocking seven-year-old powered home to beat Mykyta by almost three lengths.

His name means goodbye in Japanese. But Sayonara the racehorse does not know it. For him, every day is race day as he looks forward to saying hello to the starter again in the new season.