By Michael Lee, Singapore Turf Club
Most would think that after yet another grass flop, Celavi would never stray far off Polytrack again, but trainer Michael Clements is still not giving up all hope the speedy mare is no one-trick pony.
With not many Polytrack options to pick from in this early part of the 2022 season, the Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m) winner and seven-time winner, all on the all-weather, made her Kranji comeback in a Kranji Stakes A race over 1200m on turf on January 15, but never fired a shot to run last.
Usually among the early pacemakers, Celavi was ahead of only Makkem Lad, who fluffed his lines at barrier rise, and never made much headway for the rest of the contest.
The poor result was not a surprise, though better was expected. Save for a third place at her first try, Celavi’s grass record is dismal at the remaining three: All at the rear.
The camp did make some excuses for the Fighting Sun five-year-old at times, still keeping the faith she could buck the trend, but alas, she never looked comfortable again, with Clements and jockey Louis-Philippe Beuzelin both pointing at the surface with the Stewards post-race, and she would be better suited on Polytrack.
She returns to her element in Saturday’s $85,000 Class 2 race over 1100m, and is as a result expected by connections and pundits alike to bounce back to her best, but racing is never so black and white.
Clements for one is still not ruling out one last roll of the dice at conquering Celavi’s bugbear one day, even if time may not be on her side anymore.
“Celavi has proven that all her best performances had been on Polytrack, but I still believe there is no real reason she would not act on turf,” said the 2020 Singapore champion trainer.
“Personally, I think it’s because so much of her early racing and trials had been on Poly that she had become so used to it. From her early style of racing, she is so comfortable and happy on the Poly.
“She is an Australian-bred, and she should be able to handle grass. When she tried it before, she was still on the way up, and not at her best.
“The idea was to give us a few options, especially as there aren’t any Polytrack feature this year (Merlion Trophy is only scheduled on February 4, 2023) but in saying this, at that stage of her career, we can only have another shot at turf where we can.
“She has come through her last race well, and I also feel she is better and brighter than at her last start. She’s a mare who thrives with racing, she needs just a couple of starts to get going, albeit the break’s usually only a couple of weeks.
“I’m happy with her condition going into Saturday’s race. She has drawn well (two) and will be up with the pace, but if Makkem Lad is too fast, she can take a sit off him.”
Beuzelin, who has never been coy about calling Celavi her favourite horse in Singapore, seemed more inclined to settle for a drop in behind, not just for Saturday’s race, but moving forward as well.
“She seems to have lost her gate speed. That’s my one of my two worries along with the weight (57kgs) she will give away in a Class 2 race,” said the French jockey.
“I still expect to see her back to her best. At her last start on the grass, she was not travelling very well, she had no action on it.
“She actually began well that day, even on turf, but she then just took a longer time to find her cruising speed.
“I didn’t want to kill her just to finish two lengths better. She hated the turf, but she pulled up well.
“We were hoping to have more options with her, but as more or less expected, she could not put her best foot forward on turf.
“She has pulled up well and she’s in good shape for this next Polytrack race. Let’s hope we’ll see the real Celavi this time.”
