Te Akau Singapore Friday Preview

Singapore's Champion Trainer of 2015 and 2017, Te Akau's Mark Walker lies third on the Trainers' Premiership this season with 16 wins, 19 second and 19 third placings.


Friday 6 April 2018


11.20 p.m. R2 4 AMANZOE - Craig Grylls; two stable starters in this Restricted Maiden 2&3YO 1200m on the polytrack where the first draws one from the outside (7) in the field of just eight runners. With 57kgs and the Kiwi rider aboard, this Trelawney Stud 3YO went a good 3rd last start but with the awkward draw - place chance.

11.20 p.m. R2 5 BURGUNDY PRINCE - App R Zawari (a1); the second for Mark Walker in the S$85,000 event draws gate six and also is assigned 57kgs but drops to 56kgs with the apprentice aboard. A 3YO by Burgundy as his name suggests, he needs to improve and looks likely to conduct his future racing in Malaysia.

11.50 p.m. R3 4 ELITE GENERAL - Vlad Duric; a handy draw (5 of 10) in the Class 4 non-premier 1100m on the polytrack. The champion jockey will ride this 5YO by Exceed and Excel at 56kgs and he too looks likely to undertake his future racing in Malaysia.

12.50 a.m. (Saturday) R5 5 SACRED GURU - Craig Grylls; this 4YO raced by the Raffles' Racing team will bounce from the ace draw for the Class 4 Premier 1100m on the polytrack. With 56.5kgs allocated, he was a very good runner up two starts ago and with blinker-pacifiers on for the S$60,000 affair of just nine starters - he is an improver.

1.20 a.m. (Saturday) R6 4 TURQUOISE KING - Vlad Duric; something of a senior statesman around the stable, this 7YO is the first of two for Mark Walker in the Kranji Stakes C SW 1700m on the polytrack. He too has the inside draw (1) and has 56.5kgs on his back with the top rider engaged. He needs Class 4 to again be competitive.

1.20 a.m. (Saturday) R6 6 NORTHERN KNIGHT - App R Zawari (a1); the second for the stable in this 11-strong field draws out at nine and has 54kgs thanks to the apprentice claim. A 6YO was posted a handy second placing three starts back, he too needs to drop back to Class 4 to feature,

1.50 a.m. (Saturday) R7 2 STAR GENIUS - App R Zawari (a1); three in the Class 3 1100m on the polytrack for the stavble, the first will jump from gate seven and carry 56.5kgs. With a win and two third placings from her last five starts, she is in very good form - top three chance.

1.50 a.m. (Saturday) R7 4 UNSURPASSED - App Noorman Hanafi (a4); the maximum apprentice alliance drops this son of Exceed and Excel back to just 50.5kgs but he does have a tough assignment, drawing one from the outside (11). He will improve with the run.

1.50 a.m. (Saturday) R7 10 JACK'S SECRET - App Mohamad Firdaus (a1); the final one of the trio in this S$80,000 event draws best (5 of 12) and has only 50.5kgs also to assist. He's been in rare form (2-2-1) but is likely to need more distance.

2.20 a.m. (Saturday) R8 1 COUSTEAU - Vlad Duric; a recent arrival from the Te Akau New Zealand stable completes the night racing - on debut in this Class 4 non premier 1000m on the polytrack. Unfortunately he draws 10 of the 11 starters but has the star rider engaged with 58kgs. It's a good starting point for the Singapore career of this 3YO by Exceed and Excel but its made tricky with the raw - top three prospect.