Headley Grange should frank Pools form
Headley Grange's winning burst in the Benchmark 94 race named after the Singapore gaming company was so impressive that newfound fans have been waiting for his next outing with bated breath.
Trainer Joseph Pride has picked the A$200,000 (S$167,000) Listed Civic Stakes (1,400m) on June 21 as the race to keep the seven-time winner by Exosphere on the up.
On paper, the four-year-old's task looks stiffer up against better-rated customers like Iknowastar (105) and Willaidow (103), but his hike of only five points from 88 to 93 after such an explosive turn of foot in the Singapore Pools race gives him a strong fighting chance to go back-to-back.
On handicap, he will have only 54kg on his back, in receipt of six kilos from the topweight Iknowastar on 60kg.
While Headley Grange beat Green Shadows by only three parts of a length at his last start, most pundits would agree he should have scored by a wider margin had he found daylight earlier.
Ridden by Adam Hyeronimus then, he was seen clambering on heels at the 300m while he was clearly raring to go. When the opening came through, he quickly put his rivals to the sword.
With the in-form Hyeronimus not riding at 54kg, Pride did not have to search high and low for a rider who could make the weight. The booking of top jockey Jason Collett can only enhance his chances, as will the handy barrier No. 4.
Headley Grange currently heads the market at 11-5, but, somehow, the next popular pick is a fifth emergency (down to second standby after three horses - Warnie, Chrysaor and Another One - were scratched), Raikkonen, for the in-form Bjorn Baker yard at 9-2.
Surprisingly, Green Shadows' bid to turn the tables on Headley Grange is not that fancied at 11-1, presumably because of his horror gate in 20 as well as the unfavourable pull in weights.
On-pace sprinter Whinchat was a beaten favourite in the Singapore Pools Handicap after he bombed the start.
The David Pfieffer-trained speedster did pass a barrier test with flying colours and gets a chance to make amends by lining up in the Civic Stakes, but the outermost alley in 22 may bring his downfall again.
It may well be Headley Grange's stable companion Cool Jakey who will make his presence felt when the whips are cracking following his creditable fifth in the Singapore Pools Handicap.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Bases Loaded should not be written off either, after finally drawing in following a run of rotten luck with the barriers.
With Stradbroke-winning jockey Tim Clark up, it would not surprise anyone if the China Horse Club-owned Deep Field four-year-old shoots to the lead from gate No. 2, and goes all the way.
manyan@sph.com.sg
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