Michael Lee, 05/11/2021
The final field for the $1 million Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m) is taking a more definite shape with just over a week left to the running of Kranji’s last major of the season on November 14.
Though unproven at the trip and regarded a doubtful starter for the longest time, Lim’s Lightning is now a confirmed runner and still takes pride of place as the topweight on 111 points. Should this season’s undisputed equine sensation carry 58kgs as understood, the next rated entry Minister (99 points) will shoulder three kilos less (55kgs) given the compression of weights to four points to the kilo instead of the usual two as the newly-introduced exception to the scale rule for the Gold Cup.
While some had written the Lion City Cup-Raffles Cup winner off following his late scratching through a minor injury from the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m) three weeks ago, trainer Daniel Meagher delivered the good news the Lope De Vega six-year-old has healed quickly, has not missed a beat in trackwork since, and is worth a crack at the uncharted 1 ¼ mile.
2021 SINGAPORE GOLD CUP ENTRIES
| No | Horse | Rating | Trainer |
| 1 | LIM’S LIGHTNING | 111 | D MEAGHER |
| 2 | MINISTER | 99 | D LOGAN |
| 3 | MR CLINT | 97 | HW TAN |
| 4 | TOP KNIGHT | 97 | M CLEMENTS |
| 5 | SACRED CROIX | 96 | M WALKER |
| 6 | MR MALEK | 95 | S BURRIDGE |
| 7 | BIG HEARTED | 93 | M CLEMENTS |
| 8 | HARD TOO THINK | 89 | S GRAY |
| 9 | KATAK | 86 | R LE GRANGE |
| 10 | OCEAN CROSSING | 83 | M CLEMENTS |
| 11 | SO HI CLASS | 83 | M CLEMENTS |
| 12 | ELITE INCREDIBLE | 79 | M CLEMENTS |
| 13 | TRUMPY | 78 | M CLEMENTS |
| 14 | PROSPEROUS RETURN | 77 | M CLEMENTS |
| 15 | SAVVY COMMAND | 77 | M WALKER |
| 16 | SENOR DON | 75 | R LE GRANGE |
| 17 | STRONG N POWERFUL | 74 | CT KUAH |
| 18 | KING’S COMMAND | 73 | S BAERTSCHIGER |
| 19 | ON LINE | 73 | M CLEMENTS |
| 20 | SPECIAL OPS | 71 | J ONG |
| 21 | REAL EFECTO | 69 | D KOK |
| 22 | KING LOUIS | 68 | R LE GRANGE |
| 23 | WIND TRAIL | 67 | H TAKAOKA |
| 24 | RAMBO | 61 | D MEAGHER |
| 25 | GOLD REWARD | 60 | R LE GRANGE |
The one significant change to the top end of the nominations is former Singapore Gold Cup alumni Mr Clint inviting himself as a last-minute surprise guest. New connections have paid up the late $535 entry fee for a second nomination.
Interestingly, Mr Clint has changed hands for the second time in less than a year. Trained by Lee Freedman for Oscar Racing Stable when he claimed the Singapore Gold Cup in 2019, he was transferred to Mark Walker last year and taken over by Al Rashid Stable when Freedman returned to Australia.
The Power seven-year-old is now trained by Alwin Tan and was acquired by local owner Tan Aik Pheng, but his form in three runs for Walker has, however, been poor before he was spelled after his last-start unplaced run in the Group 1 Kranji Mile (1600m) in May.
There is not much change down the list until we see up-and-coming stayer Hard Too Think climb two spots to eighth place following his nine-point hike from his Queen Elizabeth II Cup victory. At 52.5kgs, regular partner Marc Lerner knows it is borderline but has vowed he would do what it takes to shed the necessary excess pounds to make the weight.
Another horse to benefit from a win-induced lift is the Michael Clements-trained Trumpy. With the handicapper slapping the Argentinian-bred stayer with five points in the wake of his gutsy win in a Kranji Stakes C race (1800m) three weeks ago, he leaps from 18th spot into the safe zone at 13th spot on 78 points.
Savvy Command was disappointing in seventh place in that race, with a drop of two points to 77 seeing him head South, but still looks safe on paper with the second-last berth (15th), given none of the entries below the cut-off mark are running at the last pre-Gold Cup meeting this Saturday.
One trainer who would be bitterly disappointed unless a couple of horses drop out by next Wednesday is Shane Baertschiger. Following his compelling win in a Class 4 race over 1800m on October 23, the Tavistock grey, who was on 67 points, potentially gave himself a big push from 29 into the qualifying zone.
When the handicapper gave King’s Command six points, Baertschiger could be entitled to breathing a sigh of relief, especially after he had decided Preditor (eighth on 84) would come off the list, and Walker had also pulled Time Lord (13th on 79) out, but he had not reckoned with second nomination Mr Clint and fringe-sitter Strong N Powerful following suit for trainer Kuah Cheng Tee.
On 74 points, new entry Strong N Powerful comes from left field to just nudge King’s Command out but is at it stands the first standby starter in 17th spot.
All is not lost for Baertschiger, though, as Mr Clint will only be confirmed as a contender after a track gallop next Tuesday. The Australian will now have to sweat on at least one more horse withdrawing from the race to Gold.
In the same boat is On Line, whose last win last Saturday gave him a sudden burst towards the Top-16, but the five points may well prove insufficient as he now sits right on the heels of King’s Command in 19th place.
Clements may elect to leave the O’Reilly six-year-old in his box given that the Singapore champion trainer already gang-tackles the feature race with an impressive squad of seven horses, all guaranteed of a run – Top Knight, Big Hearted, Ocean Crossing, So Hi Class, Elite Incredible, Trumpy and Elite Incredible.
The 2021 Singapore Gold Cup line-up is almost there, but a few twists and turns towards the “relegation zone” could still be on the cards in the next four to five days. Stay tuned.
