Selvan's team toss in serious gallops

New Paper

2 days ago

On the morning of May 28, Nick Selvan was a busy man trackside - and why not?
The trainer, who is currently sitting second on the premiership table has entered a strong team of 13 for the upcoming Kuala Lumpur races on June 1 and, like his crew, he was up bright and early to watch the bulk of his gallopers being put through their paces.
Names like Prince Lonhro, Uptown Girl and Delilah are some of the horses who could spearhead his assault on the races coming up.
Next in line, God's Gift, Big Bad Mama and Single Warrior are the ones to keep a watchful eye on.
Taking it from the top, the work put in by Prince Lonhro was the most impressive.
The son of Lonhro did not break any speed records but he did the 600m in a nice time of 40.2sec. If anything, it would have told Selvan and track-watchers that he was holding the form which saw him record the second of his two wins at his last start on May 11.
Granted, that was over the Perak Turf Club's 1,300m.
But we know from his race records that he is very much at home at Sungai Besi. In 10 starts at Kranji when prepared by Donna Logan, a second place was his best showing.
At his fifth Malaysian outing, at Sungai Besi on Feb 16, he did not give his rivals a whiff of his withers. He romped in by 5¾ lengths.
Prince Lonhro may not yet be "royalty" in racing circles, but he is still a five-year-old and, quite definitely a work in progress.
One that is getting on in years but is not yet ready to lie down is Uptown Girl.
An eight-year-old mare, she worked well, running the 600m in 41sec after some serious cantering on the yielding track.
The New Zealand-bred by Shamoline Warrior came close to putting together a seventh victory on May 17.
Alas, it was not to be. Even though there was no economy in effort, she found one to beat in rank outsider Roger Roger, who charged home to win that 1,300m contest for Class 5A gallopers at Sungai Besi by 1¼ lengths.
That day, her connections would have screamed themselves hoarse as, at the 100m mark, their lady looked like she was going to bring it home.
Uptown Girl goes over the shorter 1,020m on June 1. The jump-and-run races may not be her forte as five of her six wins have been in races over 1,200m and longer.
But, in her defence, we saw her sprint hard on April 5 when she beat Diamond Ring by 1½ lengths in a race over the short and sharp 1,150m.
So, keep her on your shortlist and watch for her when she lines up in Race 11 on June 1.
Her trackwork does suggest that she has the form to turn in a good showing.
Then there was Delilah. She would have warmed Selvan's heart when she turned in a good gallop, running the 60m in 39.8sec.
Until racing shut down in Singapore on Oct 5, 2024, Delilah was under the care of trainer Leslie Khoo who saddled her to three victories.
That last win was in a 1,000m race at Kranji on Aug 25.
To date, she has had four starts for Selvan and the last two were over the 1,300m.
Selvan has picked a 1,020m race for Delilah and, if she can bring her training form to the races, she could be something else.
Among his remaining three horses, Big Bad Mama clocked the fastest time in 38.4sec, while Single Warrior and God's Gift did the 600m in 41.6sec and 42sec respectively.
Admittedly, at eight years of age, Big Bad Mama is getting long in the tooth, but Selvan has been meticulous in getting the mare ready for her next assignment.
Indeed, it was as recent as May 20 that he sent her to the trials where she acquitted herself well, running second to Joey.
Selvan has entered her for Race 8. It is the Metro A sprint over the flying 1,020m.
The daughter of former Singapore 3YO Triple Crown champion Gingerbread Man will be in her element and, if she manages to overcome her outermost alley in 10, do what she does best in her races - which is to run like the hounds of hell are after her - she might just give her rivals something to chase.
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