Singapore racing continues this Saturday, November 11th, featuring a 12-race turf card which sees the running of the third and final Leg of the Triple Crown Series, the $1 million Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m).
If one man’s loss is another man’s gain, then jockey Marc Lerner has greatly benefited after picking up the ride on the local champion LIM’S KOSCIUSZKO in the Gold Cup.
With LIM’S KOSCIUSZKO’S usual rider, CC Wong, sidelined for four months after being found guilty of failing to ride to the satisfaction of stewards, Lerner has been tasked with piloting trainer Daniel Meagher’s stable star to victory in the coveted event, which would secure the Australian handler a second Gold Cup after winning it in 2021 with Lim’s Lightning.
LIM’S KOSCIUSZKO tasted defeat for the first time this year in the Group 1 QEII Cup last start but lost no admirers as he fell short by less than half-length to all-the-way winner Hongkong Great. By no means a vintage Gold Cup field in 2023, ‘Kosi’ is expected to bounce back in a big way.
With the Gold Cup being contested under Handicap conditions, LIM’S KOSCIUSZKO is set to carry the top weight of 58kgs. Meagher highlighted the significant impact of changes made to the Singapore Gold Cup’s handicap conditions seven years ago, which has contributed to a recent trend of top-weighted horses winning.
“The move to four rating points per kilo instead of two was massive,” said Meagher, who won the race with Lim’s Lightning in 2021. “The best horse has won the last two and I think that (the change in conditions) was a definite factor. The distance changed (from 2200m) to 2000m too, which also helped.”
Meagher and the all-mighty Lim’s Stable also combine in Race 9 with promising four-year-old LIM’S SALTORO in the $50,000 Class 4 Handicap over 1200m.
LIM’S SALTORO debuted with an effortless win in late August when he cruised to the line by 2.75 lengths over 1100m. Though a wide draw and being poorly weighted looked to be two big obstacles ahead of him at his second career start, the gelding toughed it out by scoring a tenacious win against a quality Novice field.
LIM’S SALTORO has since trialled in impressively and he is ideally weighted on his Class 4 debut this week. However, a wide barrier again will force him to earn his keep.
