After an eight-month injury-enforced layoff, the exciting Street Of Dreams returns to racing in the $100,000 Class 1 race over 1200m this Saturday.
The five-year-old son of Dundeel has not raced since sustaining an injury to his off-fore suspensory ligament after finishing a well-beaten ninth behind Singapore’s best horse, Lim’s Kosciuszko, in the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) on 20 May last year.
But fans would recall that Street Of Dreams, who, on the back of six consecutive win, started second favourite to the winner on that occasion.
And those same fans would argue that the Steven Burridge-trained gelding could have continued his winning run in the $1 million weight-for-age showpiece, before going on to challenge Lim’s Kosciuszko in most feature races in 2023.
Alas, it was not to be. Since then, connections and faithful followers only hoped that Street Of Dreams could overcome his injuries and make a comeback this year.
Now after three recent trials, Street Of Dreams is ready to show why he could be a huge player in the final year of racing in Singapore.
“He’s good to go,” was the news punters wanted to hear from Burridge on Thursday.
“I’m happy with him. (Jockey) Manoel (Nunes) is happy with him and it is really great to have him back ready to race on Saturday.
“I thought his last trial (won trial no 2 on 11 January in the time of 1 min 0.99secs) was very good and most importantly, he has pulled up well.
“He strode up an easy half-mile with Manoel on Tuesday morning and although he has drawn wide (in 10) and it looks to be a strong field, he should be a good chance over 1200m first-up.”
As one would expect after such an injury, Burridge was cautious not to look too far ahead, but thought the Asok Kumar-owned Street Of Dreams was still a work in progress.
“Potentially, he still has more to come,” explained the experienced Australian conditioner.
“These types of injuries (suspensory) are tricky but he had plenty of time off and that (time) is the best remedy. We scanned him after his trial late last year (finished fifth in trial no 2 on 28 December) and, touch wood, it’s all good.
“But coupled with his breathing issues, we will have to carefully pick and choose his races and shorter distances may be his caper now.
“You’ve seen his turn of foot at some of his wins. That will win him races against any opposition and hopefully, he can show it (turn of foot) on Saturday.”
Street Of Dreams’ last win was in a Kranji Stakes A race, defeating G1 Gold Cup winner Hongkong Great.
And while there is a hype surrounding Street Of Dreams at his comeback, Burridge also cautioned not to discount his other runner, Invincible Tycoon, in the same race.
The five-year-son of I Am Invincible had been a revelation since making his Singapore debut in a Class 4 race (1200m) in January last year, climbing through the grades before he ran third in the Group 3 Silver Bowl (1400m) on 11 June.
To show that run was no fluke, Invincible Tycoon finished third again in the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on 2 July before running fourth in the Group 1 Singapore Derby (1800m) on 23 July.
Invincible Tycoon’s second-place finish to Lim’s Kosciuszko in the G1 Raffles Cup.
Add two more Group 1 placings, a second in the Raffles cup (1600m) on 23 September and a third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) on 14 October, and a luckless sixth in the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) at his last run on 11 November, and that proves the Lim’s Stable-owned gelding is no pushover.
“He (Invincible Tycoon) was super last year,” said Burridge, who is in Melbourne, Australia for the wedding of former Singapore Turf Club’s racing presenter, Edward Sadler.
“He has won over 1200m, 1400m and 1600m but his runs over longer at Group 1 level were enormous. I think he had enough by the Singapore Gold Cup, but could have finished closer considering the run he had.
“There is no bigger eater at my stable and loves his work like him, so the break since the Gold Cup run will do him a world of good ahead of what will be another long campaign.
“(Jockey) Ryan (Curatolo) will ride him and we’ve had some luck with him in these colours (won the 2018 Group 2 Aushorse Golden Horseshoe on the now retired Lim’s Lightning).
“He (Invincible Tycoon) is fresh and certainly versatile enough to have a say first-up on Saturday.”
By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
