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Singapore: The post position draw for the $3 million Singapore Airlines International Cup has given Dubai hopeful Jay Peg's trainer something to think about in the run-up to Sunday's race.
South African-bred Jay Peg won the $5 million Dubai Duty Free at Nad Al Sheba in March, taking an early lead from a wide position and fighting back gamely to the front after being severely pressured by Darjina and passed Vodka on the straight.
Yesterday, he was drawn in gate seven out of a field of 16 and trainer Herman Brown is considering whether it might be wise to ease him back rather than hit the front too early in Singapore.
"It was a good draw I think," said Brown, who is also saddling new charge Mourilyan in the same race.
"Jay Peg has horses with speed on his inside and I think the pace will really be on. We will play it by ear with him and not necessarily always take the lead. Maybe we'll sit back on him because I think this race will be run from quite a pace."
Brown believes that Mourilyan, who was drawn in gate three, and Jay Peg have proved a positive influence on each other in Singapore.
"The horses have travelled down together really well from Dubai. They have got to know each other and seem to like each other and are happier when they are together.
"I can't complain about them at all. They are eating really well and on that front everything is going well."
The same can't be said for Salaam Dubai, who goes in the $1 million KrisFlyer Sprint for Dubai trainer Aditiyan Selvaratnam.
Drawn in gate 12, Selvaratnam says his charge, who took a third in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen last year, did not travel well.
"I can't grumble now, but I would have been happier if he was drawn three, four or five," admitted the trainer after the draw.
"He was off his feed when we first arrived and he was dehydrated for the first couple of days. He's ok now; he's gained weight and is almost back to his racing weight and we will just have to hope for the best."
The fourth Dubai horse to compete on Sunday, Rashid Bouresly's Star Crowned, which was third in the Golden Shaheen this year, was drawn in gate one.
Local hopes: Foreign raiders eye prize
This weekend's $1million KrisFlyer Sprint has attracted a host of foreign raiders to Singapore on the hunt for spoils but trainer Don Baertschiger says the possibility of a local horses winning should not be discounted.
Singapore stalwart Baertschiger, who last month celebrated his 500th and 501st wins at Kranji track on the same day, saddles Capablanca in the sprint that at first glance seems dominated by foreign entrants.
Takeover Target, an eight-year-old champion Australian sprinter trained by Joe Janiak, and the promising Darren McAuliffe-trained Universal Ruler, will line up alongside David Hall's Group 1 winning Absolute Champion from Hong Kong, as well as Star Crowned, trained by the UAE's Rashid Bouresly, who ran third in the Group 1 $2million Dubai Golden Shaheen.
But Baertschiger said: "The gap is definitely closing a little bit and maybe with the fact that we are on home ground here and with the tropical weather we could see an upset."
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