Promising galloper Alibi is ticking all the right boxes as he gears up for his campaign towards the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge.
The Michael Clements-trained son of Darci Brahma stepped out on Thursday for his first barrier trial since his unplaced run in the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m) on November 18.
Alibi started as the $11 favourite in the handicap feature, a quote that might in hindsight have been slightly over the odds, probably shaved off to such skinny level by the Joao Moreira factor. The four-time winner did raise fans’ hopes when he strode up halfway up the straight under the star Hong Kong jockey, but stayed rather one-paced to the line to run fifth, 2 ¼ lengths off the winner Lim’s Cruiser.
Michael Clements has set his sights on the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge for Alibi.
Time will tell if the form experts had not been biased by the person warming up the pigskin, but on face value, it was still a run which was not without merit.
With regular partner Vlad Duric back in the steering duties at the barrier trial, Alibi settled in midfield as Sebas (Cory Jones) took off at a good clip upfront before working home smartly to finish fifth 1 ½ lengths off the winner The Nutcracker (Nooresh Juglall).
Assistant-trainer Michael White (pictured) said Alibi went for a well-earned break after the EW Barker Trophy and seems to have come through fitter and better.
“Today was his first trial and I have to say I was a bit concerned he would be left behind with speedy horses like Sebas and The Nutcracker in it,” said White.
“The plan was not to give him a hard trial. They went quick, but he kept up with the pace better than I thought and it’s worked out well in the end.
“He’s had a good break and he’s done a terrific job today. We will give him another trial on Tuesday week (March 21), the week he will make his comeback in an Open Benchmark 83 race over 1200m.”
White said it would thereafter be all systems go towards the first Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, hopefully the second as well, but they would play it by ear for the third Leg, the Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on July 9.
“We’ll take it slowly with him as the 4YO series is still a fair way away. We’ll take it race by race,” he said.
“We will definitely look at the first two Legs, but for the Derby, we’ll have to see how he goes in the first two Legs first.”
The first Leg is the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1400m) which takes place on May 28 followed by the second Leg, the Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) on June 18.
Meanwhile, the Clements camp will shift all their attention to another one of their Darci Brahma progeny in Darci Charmer this Sunday. The capable six-year-old is running in the $100,000 Open Benchmark 83 race over 1200m and will have French jockey Gerald Mosse back astride.
Darci Charmer also contested the EW Barker Trophy but was even more soundly beaten, finishing 13th more than nine lengths off Lim’s Cruiser. He has, however, had two runs since, pleasing connections with two closing runs – fifth to Storm Troops (with Mosse up) in an Open Benchmark 89 race over 1200m and fourth to Wonderful in an Open Benchmark 83 race over 1100m.
“Darci Charmer is going really well. We have to space his runs for him to be at his best,” said White.
“Things must also go right for him in a race. He’s got the same personality as Michael’s (Iaughs).
“If things don’t go his way, he pulls his head off and the race is over for him.
“He’s got a nice weight (54.5kgs) and a nice draw (four) and fingers crossed, things go well for him on Sunday.”
