Vlad back to kick off Champion Jockey campaign
The third meeting of the 2021 season will be run at Kranji on Saturday and like a good old-fashioned handicap event, Vlad Duric now starts his Champion Jockey title defence.
Yes, there is a long way to go in the marathon that is a calendar year of riding, however, in uncertain times, Duric will be keen to assert his dominance (again) early in the season and not let the likes of Ruan Maia and Louis Beuzelin get off to a flyer.
Of the two, Maia - who finished only three wins behind Duric in 2020 - has done the best with five wins under his belt and Duric will be keen to peg back a win or two on Saturday.
As you would expect, both riders have plenty of good rides with perhaps WELL DESERVED (Race 1), MALIBU BEACH (Race 2), SIAM WARRIOR (Race 7) and MY BIG BOSS (Race 10) looking Duric’s best, while Maia will be hoping HYDE PARK (Race 1), BE YOU (Race 4), ASAAD (Race 8) and SUPER DYNASTY (Race 9) can add to his total.
But SUPER DYNASTY is up against a very smart type in MR MALEK in the Class 2 event over 1400m and the Lee Freedman stable-mates should put on a terrific show.
MR MALEK probably starts favourite, given his recent second placing behind INFERNO in the Group 1 Lion City Cup, and the four-year-old can add another win to his impressive career record that now stands at six wins and three placings from nine starts.
Elsewhere on the card, impressive debut winner STARLIGHT is up against a couple of very capable types in INFINITE WISDOM and BE YOU in Race 4 and the Novice event over 1200m looks a cracker with the winner likely to have a big say in the upcoming Three-Year-Old series.
BEST BET Race 9 Mr Malek
VALUE BETS
Race 2 Supreme Fighter Race 8 Caribbean Lady.
Jackpot
Race 7: 2, 4, 6, 7, 11 Race 8: 1, 2
Race 9: 3, 6
Race 10: 1, 2, 3, 7, 13