With not just numbers but also quality on his side, trainer Richard Lim cannot wait to kick off the new season with a bang on Saturday.
A five-timer at the penultimate meeting of 2023 two weeks ago brought the Ipoh-born conditioner’s season tally to 28 wins and helped him finish 10th on the 2023 trainers’ log.
The third-season handler has nominated a big team of 24 runners for the first meeting of the year and among them, stable star Super Salute will headline the pack in the $110,000 Group 3 New Year Cup (1200m).
Together with the Donna Logan-trained King Arthur, the five-year-old son of I Am Invincible will carry the top weight of 58.5kgs in the field of 11. Although his last-start win in the 1200m Class 1 race (1200m) on 17 December was on the turf, Super Salute also boasts an impressive record on the all-weather surface with two wins (1200m) from four starts on the Polytrack.
However, one should not ignore his third placing behind Pacific Emperor in the Group 3 Merlion Trophy (1200m) two starts ago on 28 October, where he had it tough after a wide run throughout.
That Merlion Trophy form more than holds up in the first Group race of the year, even if Lim was wary of his big weight against some handy Polytrack sprinters.
“He will carry a big weight, but he has the form to back it up,” said the Singaporean trainer.
“We are giving two-and-a-half kilos to Pacific Emperor (56kgs) but I thought his (Super Salute’s) run was very good considering he jumped from a bad gate (10) and raced wide.
“We’ve won since then too – his first win for me – and I think he can make amends back on the Polytrack after being just beaten (by a short head) in the Merlion Trophy.
“Pacific Emperor is the biggest danger but hopefully, we can get a fair gate on Saturday and (jockey) Manoel (Nunes) can give him every chance.”
Going forward, Lim has pencilled in a handful of feature races for Super Salute, including the chance of a second win in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m) on 21 April.
“If things go to plan, the (Group 3) Fortune Bowl (1400m) in (11) February will be his next race,” said Lim of the Alan N John Stable-owned gelding.
“It’s on condition weights so I think we would carry 56kgs as a Group 2 winner, which is ideal. Then, we have the (Group 3) Committee’s Prize (1600m) in (9) March and the EW Barker (Trophy) in April.
“The EW Barker Trophy is a handicap (race), so it would be tougher this year given his (Super Salute’s) rating (102), but it would be nice to win that race again as that was his first Group win for (previous and ex-Kranji trainer) Jason (Lim).”
Aside from having a serious player in the New Year Cup, Lim can get the season off to a flyer with numerous chances on Saturday.
“The stable ‘missed the kick’ last year, so hopefully we ‘jump well’ in 2024,” quipped Lim, who went home empty-handed at the kick-off meeting last year.
“We have the numbers this year, about sixty horses, which is almost double from this time last year. I’m also starting to get to know the new horses and get them in the right races.
“Groovy (x Swiss Ace) is in winning form and he should go well again in the ($50,000) Class 4 (Division 2 race over 1200m). Filial Dragon (x I Am Invincible) looks to be a chance in the same race and we also have V’Invincible (x I Am Invincible) in the field, so numbers are on our side.
“I also have three runners (Toh Guan Treasure, Blackbuck and Mission Five) in the ($75,000) Restricted Maiden race (1100m), but Blackbuck (x Winning Rupert) is easily my best chance based on what he showed at the trials.
“He won his last trial (trial no 7 on 28 December in the time of 1 min 0.89secs) with (jockey) (Mohd) Zaki onboard and he will ride him on Saturday.
“He’s (Zaki) a good ‘jump and run’ jockey so hopefully, they get a good gate and run a very forward race for the owners (Secondtonone & Good Men Stable).”
By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
