Presvis and Wigmore Set to Tangle in Singapore

Things are really heating up at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore as the Singapore Airlines International Cup has attracted a globetrotting cadre of contendes looking for one of the biggest payoffs in the world of thoroughbred racing. Two especially prominent contenders look set to put their respective stamps on this race but a number of talented international superstars will be looking to do their best to stop them.

Presvis (Sakhee) took a tough beat at Sha Tin a few weeks ago after making a dramatic declaration by winning the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free at Meydan after a three-race stint in Dubai. His seasonal debut began when he captured the Group 2 Al Rashidiya over Steele Tango (Okawango). The Group 2 Jebel Hatta was the next step but Previs could only finish third to Wigmore Hall (High Chaparral) before winning the Dubai Duty Free.

To make things especially interesting, Wigmore Hall has shipped to Singapore and is set to take on Presvis here, though he got a pretty rude awakening on his Asian debut when he could only finish 11/14 in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Conditioner Michael Bell trains Wigmore Hall and he was dismissive of the poor effort in the last race, insisting that right-handed going and a tighter track were the main reasons for the poor performance and that fitness was certainly not an issue. “He’s already done somefast work in Hong Kong before he came here. He’s very fit as he also raced in Dubai where he won the Jebel Hatta and ran third to Presvis in the Dubai Duty Free.” He went on to explain that, “he’s raced mainly around the left-handed in UK and did race the other way a couple of times, but he just didn't handle it in Hong Kong as the track is tighter.”

Several other contenders could be set to confirm and the main candidates to play the role of spoiler appears to be River Jetez (Jet Master), who ran second in the Dubai Duty Free and Gitano Hernando (Hernando) who ran third in the Dubai World Cup this year.