Flashfast ready to break through

Luke Middlebrook, iRACE magazine

Singapore racing continues on Saturday with an 11-race fixture at Kranji Racecourse.

Three-year-old gelding FLASHFAST looks one of the strongest winning chances on the card in the Restricted Maiden over 1600m on turf (race 2).

FLASHFAST showed nice potential at his local debut in early April when he was held up from the 400m to the 250m before letting down well to finish fourth, beaten 2.75 lengths over 1200m on the Polytrack. Rising to 1400m second-up, the Donna Logan-trained gelding adopted a positive racing pattern when leading every post but the winning post, finding one too good on the wire while throwing a healthy six-length margin back to third place getter.

FLASHFAST has trialled well since and it looks his best chance to break through meeting a small and moderate Restricted Maiden field this weekend, which was decimated by scratchings on Wednesday morning.

Another handy three-year-old going around later on the card is NO MORE DELAY, who steps out in the Class 4 1200m Handicap on the Polytrack (race 7).

A two-time winner from five starts, NO MORE DELAY is off the back of a narrow but impressive first-up win 41 days ago. Settling just off the pace in a fast run race that day, the tenacious gelding travelled three-wide throughout without cover, but still fought bravely in the straight to defeat progressive type WAR COMMANDER by a head over this track and distance.

Meanwhile, trainer Tim Fitzsimmons (28 wins) boasts an eight-win buffer over Donna Logan (20 wins). Manoel Nunes looks virtually unstoppable in the jockeys’ premiership, with it seemingly only a question of “how far”? Nunes sits atop the ladder with 51 wins, 30 ahead of Oscar Chavez (21).

SELECTIONS:

Race 1: 3 Wild Bee, 5 Takhi, 1 Captain Singapore, 7 The Wild Prince

Race 2: 1 Flashfast, 3 Dixit Dominus, 6 Legacy Reign, 4 Nineoneone

Race 3: 8 Seson, 5 Proof Perfect, 3 Our Pinnacle, 7 Thunder

Race 4: 2 Magnifique, 5 Wawasan, 10 Fighting Hero, 1 Lonhro Gold

Race 5: 6 Qiji Auston, 8 City Hall, 4 Golden Tiger, 7 Flaming Kirin

Race 6: 2 Ksatria, 1 Free Fallin’, 5 Hosayliao, 6 Lion Spirit

Race 7: 4 No More Delay, 3 First Bowl, 1 I Am Sacred, 2 Boy Xander

Race 8: 3 Mystery Power, 1 Magnificent Gold, 4 Sun Ace, 2 Melody Fair

Race 9: 3 Lim’s Unique, 6 Loving Babe, 8 Gamely, 4 Retallica

Race 10: 1 Shepherd’s Hymn, 2 Axel, 3 King Louis, 7 Tony’s Love

Race 11: 3 Dancing Light, 1 Ablest Ascend, 4 Kiss Your Song, 11 Elliot Ness