Trainer Daniel Meagher may hold the ace in the $150,000 Group 2 EW Barker Trophy pack with Lim’s Kosciuszko, but the Australian conditioner has another three cards up his sleeve in the 1400m feature on Sunday.
And while his stable champion heads the weights at the handicap conditions with a whopping 59kgs, his trio of Tiger Roar, Saturno Spring and Lim’s Saltoro all have the minimum (50kgs) in what looks a fascinating race on paper.
In particular, Lim’s Saltoro looks one of the more interesting nominations. As, although the lowest rated horse in the EW Barker Trophy field, the four-year-old son of Shamexpress is undefeated in five career starts.
Significant given his much-lauded stablemate, Lim’s Kosciuszko, started his career with a staggering eight-race winning steak and Meagher’s ‘twin peaks’ (both horses named after mountains) will ensure plenty of coffee shop banter.
But although burdened with a massive weight, the reigning (and likely-to-be-named dual) Singapore Horse-of-the-Year is still the headline act and according to his trainer, the one the others have to beat on Sunday.
“He (Lim’s Kosciuszko) can carry the weight and win,” said Meagher about the six-year-old son of Kermadec from a busy morning at trackwork on Tuesday.
“Obviously the handicaps give all the other horses a chance to beat him, but he’s carried this type of weight before and won.
“He came through that last run (won in Kranji Stakes A company over 1200m on 23 March) really well and naturally improves fitness-wise on that win.
“We gave him a trial the other day (finished third to Golden Monkey in trial no 2 on 11 April) and (jockey) Marc (Lerner) didn’t ask him to do much. But the trial definitely stimulated him (Lim’s Kosciuszko) and he did enough to benefit from the hit-out.
“He will be close to his best (body) weight too. He was the heaviest he has ever been at the races last start (485kgs) and we expect him to drop five-or-so kilos when he is weighed on Sunday.
“I can’t fault the horse.
“But like I said before his first-up run, his grand final is the ($1 million Group 1) Kranji Mile (18 May). So win, lose or draw on Sunday, it’s a pipe-opener for the big race.”
Of Lim’s Saltoro, Meagher was quick to point out that although seemingly being thrown in the deep end, his rising star was on a similar path to his seven-time Group 1 winning stablemate.
“It looks a tough ask at start six, that’s for sure,” explained Meagher.
“But you have to remember ‘Kosi’ was having his sixth run when he carried 50kgs and won in Class 1 company over seven furlongs (February 2022).
“So while this (EW Barker Trophy) is a Group race, it’s still a handicap. And he (Lim’s Saltoro) gets in with 50kgs too, so it’s a very similar scenario.
“Can he win? It will be tough for sure but this could make him as a proper horse.
“Mentally, he still has plenty to learn and this will toughen him up and improve him.
“And he will put himself into the race for (jockey) Bruno (Queiroz). And I think he is good enough to absorb the pressure and be more than competitive with no weight.
“The race timing suits too, as the first of the four-year-old races aren’t until (9) June (Group 3 Silver Bowl over 1400m). So happy for him to have a crack at this level before he meets horses the same age at set weights.”
Meagher’s two other runners, Tiger Roar (x Wandjina) and Saturno Spring (x Greenspring), may need things to go their way on Sunday but are in no way making up the numbers.
“Rain would help Tiger Roar and Saturno Springs should need longer,” he continued.
“But in saying that, Tiger Roar is a bloody good horse and (jockey) Vitor (Espindola) is in good form with his double last Saturday.
“It’s a shame that he (Tiger Roar) needs give out of the ground because of his issues (legs). So hopefully there is some rain about on the weekend for him.
“And while Saturno Springs has a great first up record, he will find 1400m too short.
“He ran a bottler in the (Group 1) Singapore Gold Cup (over 2000m on 11 November) and, trainer error, I gave him one run too many (bled in the Group 3 Colonial Chief over 1700m on 2 December).
“(Jockey) Krisna (Thangamani) will ride and good to have him on in a race like this. He’s ridden him before and deserves to get opportunities like this.”
And while busy looking after his own quartet, Meagher is also keeping a close eye on trainer Tim Fitzsimmons’ stable star, Golden Monkey.
“Tim’s a great trainer and looks to have Golden Monkey flying,” said Meagher of his Australian compatriot, who also saddles Dream Alliance in what will be the last running of the EW Barker Trophy.
“So he (Golden Monkey) is probably the horse at the weights (52.5kgs) that is the danger. But Tim’s a good mate and while he’s trying to beat us, I will be happy to beat him again (laughs).”
By Larry Foley, Singapore Turf Club
