Glen Boss has hailed Countofmontecristo as the only horse he got excited over in the one year he has been riding in Singapore.
Such a big call coming from the Australian Hall Of Fame jockey two weeks ahead of the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) can only be an ominous warning sign to the undefeated three-year-old’s rivals.
But they probably did not need Boss, who once even called him a “beast”, to remind them how good he was.
Glen Boss is excited about Countofmontecristo.
The son of Echoes Of Heaven has been a revelation from Day 1. Ridden by Mohd Zaki at his debut when Boss was suspended – the only time he was not aboard - he has not put a foot wrong in five starts, going on to claim the first two Legs of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge at his last two starts.
Granted, Countofmontecristo did not dominate his peers with the same contempt he did on debut or even at his third start in a Graduation race, but there is no doubt in Boss’s mind the best is yet to come – even over the mile.
“I’ve been riding here for only about a year, and in that time, I can say he’s the horse I got the most excited about,” said triple Melbourne Cup-winning mare Makybe Diva’s jockey who did win the Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) with Well Done and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) with Laughing Gravy last year.
“From the first time I galloped him, I told (trainer) Michael (Clements) he was a very good horse, even if he was obviously still very raw.
“He’s only three now but it wouldn’t surprise me if he emerges as one of the best horses in Singapore one day.
“He was just running on raw ability at his earlier races. He has a good set of lungs, a big engine and from the get-go, he was a go-forward type.
“He has kept improving with every run and he is still improving as he matures further. He’s the real deal.
“I have no doubt he will be even better over 1600m. At his last start (Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic), he got to the front early, but the way he just floated all the way to the line so perfectly tells me he can go over further.”
Boss is certainly aware there are a few other three-year-olds who are in the same boat, if anything screaming even louder for the 1600m. One of them is his formidable rival Jupiter Gold, who rattled home from last to finish third in the Classic two weeks ago, less than two lengths astern.
“Jupiter Gold will be hard to beat. I have a huge amount of respect for this horse, especially over the mile as he is definitely looking for more ground,” he said about the Hideyuki Takaoka-trained and Alan Munro-ridden son of Congrats.
“He got checked at the home turn at his last start and still rattled home. It was a huge run.
“The only thing is he is a bit of a one-trick pony. He gets back and needs a bit of luck whereas my bloke can go at good sectionals and make his own luck from the front, which is a big advantage.
“A low draw would help my horse’s cause. He has an amazing turn of speed and he’s in a happy place now.
“There is no doubt in my mind he can win the Guineas. I wouldn’t swap him with any other horse, that’s for sure.”
Countofmontercristo has already earned a bonus of $50,000 for winning the two Legs, but that amount would triple up should he win the Guineas on May 14.
Since the inception of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge in its current format in 2010, the clean sweep was achieved for five years in a row – Better Than Ever (2010), Gingerbread Man (2011), Super Easy (2012), Stepitup (2013) and War Affair (2014).
The trend was broken in 2015 with three different three-year-olds winning (Kiwi Karma, Spanish Bay and Affleck) while last year, Debt Collector skipped the first Leg (won by Conflight) and still went on to claim the champion three-year-old title by making the last two Legs his own.
