Trainer Cliff Brown made it clear after Mister Yeoh’s impressive win in the second Leg of the Singapore Three-Year-Old Challenge that the third and final Leg, the Group 1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) wound be one bridge too far, but that doesn’t mean the son of Wanted will be left in his stable box on that day.
Brown and connections have decided to instead aim the Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1400m) winner towards the other one of two other Group 1 races run as an International dress rehearsal on May 26, the Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m).
Both Group 1 races carry a purse of $1 million while the showpiece, the Group 1 Invitational Kranji Mile (1600m), the race designated next year as the heir apparent to the International Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) which was discontinued in 2015, carries total prizemoney of $1.5 million.
Mister Yeoh dodges the Singapore Guineas and goes for the Lion City Cup instead, picture Singapore Turf Club
Brown said Mister Yeoh was in the form of his life and it would be remiss of him not to test the exciting prospect in the premier sprint race, which itself has been earmarked to be the Kranji Mile’s international sprint sidekick (like the other defunct International race, the KrisFlyer International Sprint) next year.
“Mister Yeoh will run in the Lion City Cup. We’re not convinced he’s a 1600m horse, but he’ll run a strong 1200m,” said the Australian handler who won the Lion City Cup with Zac Spirit (as a six-year-old) in 2016.
“I wouldn’t normally put a three-year-old in such a race myself, but I think it’s good for the Club to have a three-year-old running in the Lion City Cup. Not since Rocket Man has there been a three-year-old who did this.
“This will throw some intrigue into the race, it’s all very exciting I think.”
Brown is, however, not losing sight of the fact that the Nick Turnbull-owned boom three-year-old is testing his mettle against the likes of last year’s winner Lim’s Cruiser, Countofmontecristo, Super Fortune or even Merlion Trophy winner Distinctive Darci if he lines up.
“It’s a good option for him. As a three-year-old, they will also knock a couple of kilos off him,” he said.
“It’s worth a million dollars, so any help will be good to take.”
