A wide barrier for Australian speedster Bel Sprinter hasn’t dented the confidence of trainer Jason Warren ahead of Sunday’s Group One KrisFlyer International Sprint in Singapore.
Bel Sprinter came up with gate 10 in a field of 11 at Thursday’s barrier draw for the 1200m feature at Kranji, but given the gelding’s history of being tardy away an outside stall could prove an advantage.
“I’m more than happy (for him) to be out there,” Warren told Racing Victoria.
“He’ll be loaded late which is a plus and they tell me there’s plenty of speed so he’ll be likely to settle back in any case.
“Hopefully he can run over the top of them like he did in the Galaxy.”
Bel Sprinter is the only Australian-trained horse in the KrisFlyer but there will also be a significant Aussie presence in the jockey and trainer ranks.
Sydney’s leading jockey Hugh Bowman rides Bel Sprinter having partnered him to third behind Black Caviar in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick last month.
Corey Brown started a stint in Singapore late last month and rides the Michael Freedman-trained Mr Big, one of two runners for the trainer, while fellow Singapore-based Australian Danny Beasley partners Goal Keeper.
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Brett Prebble rides the Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Nine for Caspar Fownes, while Sydney-based South African Glyn Schofield is on the Mike De Kock-trained Kavanagh.
Schofield enjoyed success at the meeting two years ago when he rode Gitano Hernando in the Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m).
Mawingo, who has been transferred from Anthony Freedman in Melbourne to his Singapore-based brother Michael, has drawn barrier two for Sunday’s Singapore Airlines International Cup (2000m) with Bowman to ride.
Mawingo hasn’t won since claiming the Group One Doomben Cup on the corresponding weekend last year.
