On a fairly quiet weekend, trainer Steven Burridge hopes he can still play his cards right with at least one winner, with the much-improved Tiger Leap (NZ) (Iffraaj) the ace in his hand.
The Singapore-based conditioner does apprehend the more robust opposition in Saturday’s Class 4 race over 1800m on turf, but one factor he is not losing sleep over is the trip.
After encouraging runs since his Kranji debut a year ago, the five-year-old son of Iffraaj has really coming into his own at his last four starts, winning three from Open Maiden company to Class 4 in a mile event three weeks ago, but has yet to conquer anything beyond that distance.
He did have two tests over 1800m on Polytrack where he did not fare too badly with a second and a fourth. Burridge is now looking forward to another go, but on grass, which he feels is his preferred surface (all his three wins were on turf).
“Tiger Leap is a horse who has kept on improving this year,” said Burridge, a former jockey who still rides his own horses in work.
“He’s run okay over 1800m before but it was on Polytrack. I think he’ll go better over grass.
“I have no doubt he can run out the trip from the way he’s been finishing off his races lately, even if this is a stronger race.
“The top weight (King’s Command), Rambo and some of the other horses are pretty fair horses in this Class. It’s a very competitive race.
“We beat Rambo the last time, but he gave us four kilos then. Now it’s down to 1.5kgs.
“But my horse is fit and well, and a bit of give in the track will also help.”
With winning partners A’Isisuhairi Kasim (at his last start) and apprentice jockey Iskandar Rosman committed to other rides in the race, Burridge didn’t have to search high and low for another jockey.
He was able to book the in-form Matthew Kellady, who two meetings back snagged a hat-trick of wins (Nate’s Honour, Nepean and Paperback Trooper) on October 2, and came close to landing his biggest career win when South African import Katak beat all but the winner Hard Too Think in Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m).
“Matty is riding in great form. We’ve had a great association together and I’m sure he’ll give Tiger Leap a great ride,” said Burridge.