Parranda Set to Salute in Singapore
A field of nine–four males and five females–each owned by an entity of the China Horse Club, is set to go to the post for today’s CECF Singapore Cup, at a shade over S$3 million the richest race to ever be contested in the country. The G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup carries prize money of an even S$3 million.
To say the 1800-meter event is a head scratcher would be an understatement. Just ask those who will saddle the runners. There does seem to be a consensus, however–that the race absoultely goes through Christophe Clement-trainedParranda (English Channel). Winner of the GII Royal Heroine S. and GIII Wilshire S. and narrowly defeated in the GI Rodeo Drive S. while campaigned for most of the 2014 season by Jerry Hollendorfer and partners, the elegant chestnut was offered at the Fasig-Tipton November and ‘ticked all the boxes’ for the China Horse Club, who were extended to $800,000. Turned over to the capable hands of Clement, she prepped for this overseas test with a facile success in the GIII Marshua’s River S. at Gulfstream Jan. 10 and looks to have these at her mercy, given her race fitness advantage and a trip that suits her probably better than any of her eight competitors.
Illinois-bred My Option (Belong to Me) also makes her first appearance for Clement since being acquired by the CHC for $290,000 at the Keeneland November sale. She returns to the turf for the first time since checking in third in the GIII Pucker Up S. in 2013, and her better form is over synthetic tracks, including wins in the GIII Arlington Oaks and GIII Chicago H. The third and final American-bred in the field is Bajan (Speightstown). A $300,000 FTKNOV purchase, the attractive blaze-faced bay was a dual black-type winner at two and managed a third in the GI Santa Anita Oaks while raced by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Ronald Frankel. She makes her first start in over four months and is another for whom the turf, and to a lesser extent the distance, are question marks.
On sheer class, Auvray (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) would compete for favoritism Sunday. Previously trained by Elie Lellouche for the sire’s breeder Gerard Augustin-Normand and Mme Vidal, the sleek bay 4-year-old has won half of his 10 career tries, including the G3 Prix de Lutece and G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay, both over 3000 meters, last year. Led into the ring at the Arqana Arc Sale just a few hours after the Chaudenay, Auvray fetched a bid of €800,000 to top the event. The knock on him is that he’s never won at a distance less than 11 furlongs and may not have the speed to keep pace at this shorter trip. But connections have a hunch he can be effective at nine and 10 furlongs, so it pays to pay attention.
Orbec (Fr), the second of three in the race for Le Havre (Ire), sports inferior form to Auvray, but completed the exacta behind that one in an 11-furlong conditions race at Longchamp in April. Runner-up in the Listed Derby du Languedoc at Toulouse in June, he went one better for Augustin-Normand in the Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine at Deauville when last seen Aug. 29. Augustin-Normand celebrated a unique double when Orbec proved the third-dearest lot at the Arc Sale at €600,000.
If there is an X-factor in the race it would have to be Zululand (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The field’s lone 3-year-old is trained by Jason Warren, who is no stranger to traveling one to Singapore, having sent over Bel Sprinter (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}) to be runner-up to Lucky Nine (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the 2013 G1 KrisFlyer International Sprint. Winner of the G2 Sires’ Produce S. and third in the G1 Champagne S. at two, the quirky bay hasn’t gone close in five starts this term while trained by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig. Even though he acts and looks like a horse who wants 1400-1600 meters and looks overmatched on bare form, he has made such a good impression physically this week that he is tough to eliminate completely.