Trainer Cliff Brown holds a strong hand from his big team of four horses in the $700,000 Group 1 Panasonic Kranji Mile (1600m) on Sunday, but has still tagged the two youngest horses in the star-studded field as the horses to beat.

The Australian will be represented by reigning Singapore Horse of the Year and last year’s Kranji Mile winner Debt Collector as well as Elite Excalibur, Laughing Gravy and Gilt Complex.

Laughing Gravy was actually his second runner in last year’s renewal, but after showing the way, the son of Primus petered out to beat one home.

Brown is not really expecting last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner to improve his result dramatically this year, and similarly for Gilt Complex as he believes both need more ground.



Trainer Cliff Brown hopes Debt Collector can win a second Panasonic Kranji Mile this Sunday, picture Singapore Turf Club

He obviously entertains higher hopes for Debt Collector and Elite Excalibur, but contrary to last year when he had to shoulder the weight of scrutiny with Debt Collector coming off his stellar three-year-old campaign, he is happy to slip under the radar this year, even after Debt Collector rocketed home for second to Countofmontecristo in the Group 3 Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m) three weeks ago.

To him it’s precisely this season’s star three-year-old along with the other gun three-year-old, Singapore Guineas (1600m) winner and recent Chairman’s Trophy (1800m) winner Forever Young who are the yardsticks.

“Countofmontecristo and Forever Young have both proven they can measure up at this level. They’re two very good horses,” said Brown.

“They are the two we’ll have to beat on Sunday, along with Infantry and Lim’s Cruiser.

“Debt Collector’s sectionals in the last 400m and 800m were as good as anything as Lim’s Cruiser in the Jumbo Jet Trophy. It’s just that his racing style is such that he gives away such big leads, and that works against him.

“It’s a 1600m race over the Short Course. It will be difficult but he will have to have every one of the 15 horses on his inside at the 500m to have any sort of chance.

“Look, I feel the longer break that he had by skipping the Derby has been significant. He’s a horse that runs well fresh, and I hope he puts in another good run on Sunday.”

Should Debt Collector fail to defend his title, Brown is not ruling out Elite Excalibur as the stablehand who can save the day in the first Leg of the Singapore Triple Crown series.

“Laughing Gravy and Gilt Complex are trying for the Gold Cup. This race is to get them to their peak for that race,” said Brown.

“On the other hand, Elite Excalibur didn’t have a lot of luck as he was held up at a vital stage in the Jumbo Jet. It took quite a while to get out and when he did, he was beaten only 0.7 length behind the winner. It was the same case as Lim’s Cruiser.

“Anyway, all’s good with all four horses, and we can only hope they all run well on Sunday.”

With regular partner Michael Rodd staying on Debt Collector, Brown has booked John Powell on Elite Excalibur, Craig Grylls on Laughing Gravy and visiting jockey Daniel Moor on Gilt Complex.