Course and distance suits Ablest Ascend

Singapore racing continues on Sunday with a 12-race fixture at Kranji Racecourse, with turf racing on the Long Course (C) while there are four races on the Polytrack.

In the Class 4 1000m Handicap, handy sprinter Ablest Ascend appears primed to score a first-up off a 64-day break. A fourtime winner from 16 local starts, Ablest Ascend has not raced since finishing unplaced in late May when he had genuine excuses in running.

Jumping from the widest draw, he was involved in an early speed battle and caught threewide throughout without cover. Given the frantic tempo set by those on-pace, it was no surprise to see him weaken in the straight, fading into 11th and beaten 9.75 lengths.

Boasting an impressive record of three wins from five starts at this track and distance, Ablest Ascend looks set to improve on that record after he won a recent trial in stylish fashion ahead of his return.

In a small field of nine this week, he appears very well placed to triumph at his second start back in Class 4 where he holds a formidable record of three wins and a second from six starts.

Meanwhile, in the 1400m Open Maiden contest, three-year-old gelding Montana Flash looks on track to shed his maiden tag.

Montana Flash debuted with a fast-finishing fourth over 1100m in Class 4 in early June before finding the opponents too strong at his second local start when finishing ninth in the Grade 3 ThreeYear-Old Sprint. Returning to

Class 4 third-up, he put the writing on the wall with a 0.50-length second over 1200m.

Montana Flash has since trialled well and based on the strength of his Class 4 runs he too is well placed in Open Maiden company.

His main danger appears to be another three-year-old contender Engine Start, who has been knocking on the door in recent starts and can also give this race a shake.

Trainer Tim Fitzsimmons (36 wins) holds a two-win lead over Donna Logan (34 wins) on the trainers’ ladder, while Manoel Nunes (58 wins), who is sidelined through injury, has a 32-win lead over CC Wong (26 wins).

BEST BET Race 5

No 4 Montana Flash

VALUE BET

Race 3 No 1 Captain Singapore

JACKPOT R12

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 2, 3

Leg 3: 2, 4

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4