While the Dubai raid has not brought the expected results thus far, trainer Stephen Gray will take one last roll of the dice this Thursday, failing which he still has his home team to bring back the smiles this weekend.
Bahana and Newlands have not shone in three outings between them during the Dubai World Cup Carnival, with the latter missing the start badly in the District One Contemporary, a handicap race over 12 furlongs last Thursday. The pair also ran out of the placings at their first Meydan outings a fortnight earlier (February 8), filling the last two spots in a 2000m race in which Cliff Brown’s Gilt Complex ran ninth (Gilt Complex also ran last Thursday in the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes and ran last).
Gray is giving his duo a last run – “unless they do really well”, he said - in the US$125,000 Al Naboodah Trade School Trophy this Thursday. The Kiwi handler is not holding his breath but neither is he branding the experience as a letdown.
Darc Bounty is tackling the seven furlongs for the first time on Sunday, picture Singapore Turf Club
“They’ll probably come home after this race, but it was worth trying the experience,” said Gray.
“There was nothing for them here and we had to give it (racing overseas) a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
“Bahana was trapped wide at his first run and had no chance. He will have to improve on that run this Thursday.
“As for Newlands, I was actually happy with the way he had presented himself at his second run. He was looking fitter.
“But he did something he doesn’t normally do. He’s not the quickest out of the gates but he’s never missed it the way he did – by 12 lengths.
“But (jockey) Bernard Fayd’Herbe used his common sense and let him continue around; he looked after him. He did tack on nicely but he was too far gone.
“That’s why he didn’t run his race that day and I can back him up this week. One thing I’ve learned from this is I will send them earlier next time.”
Bahana will be ridden by international jockey Richard Mullen while Newlands will have young English rider Tom Marquand in the irons. The good news is they will both begin from good barrier gates; Bahana from the inside alley and Newlands from gate No 6.
Back at Kranji, Gray has nominated three runners and five runners for the Friday and Sunday meetings respectively, with Darc Bounty in the $100,000 Class 2 race over 1400m on Sunday the standout in terms of quality.
A four-time winner between 1000m to 1200m (both Polytrack and turf), Darc Bounty will be tested over 1400m for the first time.
“There was no 1200m around. I remember JP (John Powell) once told me after a race he will go through his grades and get 1400m,” said Gray.
“He is a Darci Brahma and he’s got a good cruising speed. He puts himself in a good place in his races.
“He got through his grades quite quickly, but the good thing is he will get some weight relief here (53kgs).
“He’s only a little horse, he’s hardly had a bad race since he’s been with us. The barrier draw will be important.”
