The Saas Fee Stakes has to trainer Ricardo Le Grange come up as the ideal race, both timewise and conditions-wise, for his duo of Storm Troops and Mr Fantastic this Sunday.

Though there are five-and-a-half kilos between the two horses in terms of ratings, they have somewhat charted a parallel career path in Singapore, ie show their wares from Day 1 as unraced quantities in Restricted Maiden company before climbing through the hierarchy.

It might have taken a little longer for Mr Fantastic, as well as a few more cracks at Group level for Storm Troops, but this Sunday, the Le Grange pair will take their berths in the same feature race, the $200,000 Group 3 Saas Fee Stakes over 1400m, a special conditions event which sees both of them out of the handicap, but light weights are always a big help in any race.

 

It’s not the first time they find themselves in the same race, though.

Two years ago, when the Fred Crabbia-owned Storm Troops was still under the care of Brian Dean and the Avengers Stable-owned Mr Fantastic was trained by Le Grange’s former boss Patrick Shaw, they ran in a Graduation Stakes race over 1200m in April 2015. Neither scored, with Storm Troops finishing well in advance of his future stablemate (Storm Troops was transferred to Shaw straight after that run) – more than two lengths ahead while giving five kilos.

That delta in class has stayed that way for the two, albeit narrowed down over two years (Storm Troops is now on 94 and Mr Fantastic is on 83), but their current handler couldn’t be happier with them ahead of their big test on Sunday.

“Obviously, the Saas Fee was a race I was looking at for both horses, and it was the right race for them,” said Le Grange.

“The barrier draws have been unkind to both of them, though: 10 and 11 for Mr Fantastic and Storm Troops respectively, but we’ll just have to deal with that.

“Storm Troops ran very well at his last start in the Lion City Cup (closing third to Lim’s Cruiser). The step-up to the mile wouldn’t harm him.

“Mr Fantastic also ran very well at his last start (second to Poseidon whom he meets again in the Saas Fee Stakes). He’s in really good form and so is Storm Troops.

“They ran in the same barrier trial last Thursday and I was very happy with the way both ran. Mr Fantastic led all the way and Storm Troops sat back and ran on quite well for fourth.”

 

Le Grange’s regular riders Barend Vorster and Nooresh Juglall were aboard Mr Fantastic and Storm Troops respectively in that hit-out, which is usually a good guide who rides who when Le Grange sends out more than one runner in a race, but with Vorster injured after his fall from Petite Victoire’s escapade last Friday, Benny Woodworth was given the ride on Mr Fantastic in a rare booking for that yard.

The Malaysian jockey is not at his first link-up for such connections, though. He did take the odd ride from Le Grange’s former boss Patrick Shaw in the past, and the most notable association that springs to mind is War Horn landing the Group 2 Singapore Derby Trial (1600m) in 2006.

No doubt Mr Fantastic’s 51kgs (Storm Troops is on 53kgs) went a long way in securing the lightweight rider for the steering job, but Le Grange is under no illusions the Jet Master five-year-old South African-bred still faces a stiff task on Sunday, as does Storm Troops, an Argentinian-bred five-year-old by Orpen.

“There are smart horses in the race. War Affair and Well Done are both coming back from a layoff, but they have the class factor,” said Le Grange.

“My two horses have the advantage of having lighter weights. I just hope they can both acquit themselves well.”