October may have only won once in five starts thus far, but trainer Stephen Gray has high hopes for his promising three-year-old who will be running in the $75,000 Novice race (1400m) this Sunday, en route to his main target in the Group 2 Singapore Guineas (1600m) on 18 May.
The path to Guineas glory kicks off this Sunday for the son of Ocean Park in a field of no less than six other handy three-year-olds who most likely have similar Guineas ambitions and is headed by the Steven Burridge-trained Bakeel, who just missed the podium finish in the Group 3 Singapore Golden Horseshoe (1200m) won by Greatham Boy in July last year.
But freshened up with two barrier trials after his first win in a Restricted Maiden race over 1400m on 27 January, Gray believed a first-up run for October over seven furlongs will be the ideal start for October’s three-year-old campaign.
“This is the perfect race for him,” said the affable Kiwi conditioner on Thursday.
“We had him pegged early as a miler and he’s good enough to have a crack at these three-year-old races, so the (Singapore) Guineas was always going to be his grand final.
“This race over 1400m and against some very good horses will set him up nicely for his next run in the (Group 3) Singapore (Three-Year-Old) Classic over the same trip (1400m) in late (27) April.
“He was competitive over 1200m in his early races but one-paced and he had to be pushed along to keep up from some bad gates, which wasn’t ideal even though he ran in the money.
“His owners (Falcon Racing No 7 Stable) won the Guineas before (Top Knight in 2019 for ex-Kranji trainer Michael Clements), so it’s nice to give them another crack at a big race.
“We have looked after him (October). He hasn’t had many runs, with the aim to have him ready for these races. You’re only three once.”
Of his work leading into the race on Sunday, Gray was happy with his two trials and his final gallop on Tuesday.
“He’s (October) not a robust horse, tall and lightly-framed. He’s also very laid-back too, so you don’t have to put much work into him,” he explained.
“His recent trial (finished fifth to Anyway in trial no 1 on 5 March) was good enough and I was happy with his work this week.
“He hasn’t got much weight to take off and will definitely improve regardless of the results on Sunday.”
Jockey Ryan Curatolo, who rode October for the first time at his maiden win last start, will keep the ride as Gray was happy to have the Frenchman on top going forward.
“Ryan got the job done at his last start,” he said of the hoop who now sits fourth on the jockeys’ log with 10 wins for the season.
“No reason why he (Curatolo) won’t be on in the three-year-old races. He knows the horse well.
“He has drawn nicely (in barrier five) on Sunday, so Ryan will have options depending on what happens early. There looks to be some speed on so we should get a nice run with cover and he’s (October) fit enough to have a say.
“(Trainer) Steven’s (Burridge) horse (Bakeel) looks like a nice type and although we beat him the last time, (trainer) Tim’s (Fitzsimmons) horse (Fire) is race fit.
“It’s a nice race with good prizemoney, and it will be a good guide to the three-year-old races.”
Gray, currently the longest-serving trainer plying his trade in Singapore since 2000, has two other runners entered for Sunday’s race meeting and thought the honest Tavi Will Do is well in the winning mix in the $30,000 Class 5 Division 1 race (1600m).
“He (Tavi Will Do) seems to have found his mark again,” he said of the six-year-old by Tavistock.
“The better gate (six) will help and (jockey) Manoel (Nunes) is staying on. You can’t fault his (Tavi Will Do) honesty and I think the race suits.”
By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
