With only seven more meetings to go in the last season of racing in Singapore, the race for jockeys’ honours will go to the wire.
As it stands, Brazilian jockey Bruno Queiroz leads on the jockeys’ log on 51 wins, two more than compatriot Manoel Nunes, and it seemed a fight between the pair for the last title of champion jockey.
But the race for bronze is just as tight with two Frenchmen, Ryan Curatolo and Marc Lerner on 35 wins apiece, and a rampaging Bernardo Pinheiro four behind on 31 wins.
It is anyone’s guess who will find themselves on the podium come the season finale on 5 October, but Curatolo looks well-placed to state his case this Sunday with eight strong rides.
Most notably, his three rides for trainer Tim Fitzsimmons looked like serious winning chances, including Fire (x Shalaa) in the $75,000 Novice race over 1400m, whom Curatolo was keen to keep his winning momentum going on.
“My recent strike rate has been good, and I want to keep it that way,” said Curatolo, whose wife Dayle is a Singaporean.
“Finishing third (on the jockeys’ premiership) would be nice. It keeps me motivated as we come to the end (of racing in Singapore).
“Tim is my biggest supporter, and I think he has found the right race for Fire. 1400m is perfect for him.
“He (Fire) had a good trial (finished second to Cheval Pegasus in trial no 3 on 15 August), ran third to Sacred Buddy (in a Class 4 Division 2 race over 1200m on 21 July) and that form can hold up.
“I will speak to Tim, but if we can sit midfield or back in a seven-horse field from gate four, that would be nice. I think he is better coming from behind.
“I respect Cheval Pegasus as he has no weight (50kgs), but I think we can carry 58kgs and still go close to winning.”
Curatolo was also confident that the talented Ravalli (x Ilovethiscity) can overcome the rise in weights to continue his winning ways in the $50,000 Class 4 race (1200m).
“He (Ravalli) has more weight (59kgs) to carry for sure,” he explained.
“But he is a very nice horse and won so well at his last start (carrying 56.5kgs in a Class 4 race on 13 July) so, I don’t think it will be a problem.
“The horse we have to beat is Last Supper, who also carries the top weight (59kgs) and he has drawn wide (nine), which favours us.
“Again, I will speak to Tim, but from gate two, I would imagine we will ride him the same as at his last start. Why change things?
“He (Ravalli) is a very progressive horse and hopefully, he can win on Sunday and look at some nice races before we close.”
While Fire and Ravalli have both drawn inside gates, Curatolo was not concerned that Golden Brown (x Supido) will have to overcome barrier nine to win the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1000m.
“I think we can use the outside gate to our advantage,” he said.
“I don’t want to burn his energy to cross, so hopefully a few of them goes under me, and we can find a good position without too much trouble.
“He will be dropping in distance but is in very good form and deserves to win. I think he is a good chance.”
Of Curatolo’s five other rides, including two more for Fitzsimmons, the Frenchman believed a big drop in Class for Jungle Cruise would be worth an each-way look in the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1700m.
“I think he (Jungle Cruise) will find this easier than the Singapore Derby for sure!” he quipped after the four-year-old son of Jungle Pocket finished last to Lim’s Saltoro in the Group 1 feature race ran over 1800m on 21 July.
“His recent win was in Class 5, but he will be very competitive in Class 4 with 53kgs. He also placed in a similar race two starts back (finished second to Longevity in a Class 4 race over 1700m on 16 June).”
Looking past Sunday, Curatolo is looking forward to see Dream Alliance step up in trip in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) on 7 September but may be a spectator come the Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) on 5 October.
“I worked on him this morning and Tim has him going really well,” he said of the six-year-old by Into Mischief.
“He will appreciate the 1800m and I think he will run very well in the QEII Cup.
“And of course, he just missed on winning the Singapore Gold Cup last year (beaten a short head by Lim’s Kosciuszko), so that is his race.
“But unfortunately, unless something changes, he should only carry a light weight in the Singapore Gold Cup, so Tim will have to look elsewhere (for a rider).”
By Larry Foley
