Graffard Looking for Singapore ‘Surprice’

There was no way that young French trainer Francis Graffard wasn’t going to witness the work of his CECF Singapore Cup entrant Summer Surprice (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) despite that steady rain Thursday morning. Though he returned soaking wet from head to toe, he pronounced himself pleased with the filly’s appearance and was in an even happier place after watching her stretch out strongly Friday morning over the Polytrack surface at Kranji Racecourse. 

“She has taken some time to acclimatise, but she has started eating again and we are happy with that, as the travel did take a bit out of her,” said Graffard who arrived in Singapore Wednesday. 

Graffard, a graduate of the Darley Flying Start program, has already made his mark at just 37 years of age. And that is no huge surprise, as he has worked with some of Europe’s top conditioners, including a three-year stint as assistant to Alain de Royer-Dupre while also gaining invaluable knowledge from the likes of Andre Fabre, Gai Waterhouse and John Oxx. 

In his first two seasons as a trainer, Graffard tallied nearly 60 winners, a very respectable number. Perhaps the best of those winners was Pearl Flute (Ire) (Piccolo {GB}), who took out the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal in 2013 and was third in the 2014 running of the G2 Al Fahidi Fort at Meydan. 

Graffard has conditioned Summer Surprice through the first nine starts of her career for Team Hogdala AB. The 4-year-old, from the Juddmonte Farms family of Reams of Verse (GB) and Midday (GB) among other luminaries, was offered by the Coulonces Consignment at last year’s Arqana December Sale and was knocked down to the China Horse Club for €420,000. 

Allowed to retain the filly, Graffard is looking forward to Sunday’s CEFC Singapore Cup. 

“She had a break following the sale, and it took her a while to get back into fitness,” the affable Graffard related. “I had a plan for her for getting her ready and I’ve been able to follow it, so that’s good. She was not eating after the travel, but she has put weight back on.” 

And as for race strategy? 

“The track is in nice shape,” Graffard offered. “I’m happy the straight is long, because the trip can be a little short for her. That’s why I’m putting blinkers on for the first time because I don’t want her to lose too much ground in the early part of the race. It would be good if she could get a good position.” 

Trackwork, Kirkwall, Boat Quay & A Taxi 
by Alan Carasso 

That’s not the name of some Singaporean rock quartet, but does sum up the day in a nutshell. 

Awake at 3:15 a.m. for the ride to Kranji, and all eight of the international runners did their thing between 5 and 6 a.m. on either the floodlit turf track or Polytrack. The majority of the octet had already completed their major work, but the John Thompson-trained Le Havre (Ire) of Auvray (Fr) and Orbec (Fr) spiced up the morning with a spirited gallop for 300 meters or so up the stands’ side rail on the grass. These are two really handsome stayers, who, if things fell right, could make a fair bit of noise in any number of Cup races come Australasian springtime, including the biggest Cup of ‘em all. 

Auvray and Orbec are likely the only two of the CHC runners who are likely to remain with their current trainer after Sunday. The CHC’s General Manager Eden Harrington confirmed to me Friday morning that the trio of American-bred fillies–Parranda (English Channel), My Option (Belong to Me) and Bajan (Speightstown)–would continue their careers in Singapore under the care of Michael Freedman. My Option and Bajan are seen as candidates for races over the Polytrack as the year rolls on, while Parranda, depending on how she races tomorrow, could be considered for the G1 Dubai Duty Free S. or G2 Godolphin Mile. Each of those could lead to a start in the S$3-million Singapore Airlines International Cup May 17 or she could simply be trained up to that 10-furlong test. Harrington said that the fillies could become broodmares in America or Ireland or Australia when their racing days are done. 

I had a couple of interviews set up–and let me pause here to applaud and thank the Singapore Turf Club’s Lim Zi Xiang for helping to arrange time with both trainer Patrick Shaw and former U.S. jockey David Flores. I’m going to back-burner those items until tomorrow’s TDN, because I know there are not going to be enough words in Saturday’s paper. Hyperbole. In any event, I made the trip to Kranji with Racing and Sports head honcho Gary Crispe, who coincidentally had a runner on the program. City of Kirkwall (NZ) (Pentire {GB}) was dropping a bit in class and stretching out to 2200 meters off a good fourth going 10 panels last time out. He was slashed from $42 (7.60-1) when I bet him into $20 (3-1) favoritism at the off. Jockey Corey Brown laid out a plan in the parade ring that he intended to sit up close to a muddling pace and to try to outstay them from the 600-meter point. It was a strategy that worked to perfection, as he came home a 1 1/2-length winner much to the delight of the very popular Crispe, who campaigns City of Kirkwall with his brother Wayne and a third Singapore-based partner. I enjoyed coat-tailing and cashing a little bet at the same time. 

The evening program featured dinner at the Red Dot Brew House in Boat Quay, which as some of you may have seen via my Twitter feed, sells these silos of beer–red, green, or, well, beer, in color. Liesl talked me into a “Singapore Sling” (go on, let the manly jokes fly). In any event, my problem was that this morning’s second of two 3 a.m.’ers finally exacted a toll. I nap-jerked a couple of times on the ride over and decided, I think wisely, to forego the walking tour of Boat Quay and drinks thereafter at the Fullerton Hotel in favor of a return to these familiar environs–my laptop and bed. 

Saturday is open during the day, and this couldn’t come at a better time, as I should be able to catch up on the sleep. I hope those of you who are braving -25 cold in the Bluegrass pull through OK. It’s not like it’s currently 111 degrees warmer here or anything. 

Back with you tomorrow with those two aforementioned stories, a preview of the CECF Singapore Cup and any other minutia that might cross my mind. Til then.