Singapore Racing: Beasley Wants Less ‘Cruisy’ Run In Patron’s Bowl

Jockey Danny Beasley believes that a slight tweak in Lim’s Cruiser’s training routine to perk him up can only give him a sharper edge in the $500,000 Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) on Sunday.

After two Group wins from as many rides, Beasley tasted defeat for the first time aboard the Stephen Gray-trained bay at his last run in the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (1400m) on May 28, but the multiple-Group 1-winning hoop was far from disappointed with the performance, more so when he had a bit of an inkling what went wrong.

The son of Casino Prince actually looked on the cusp of a fourth Group win in a row (after the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy, Group 3 Rocket Man Sprint and Group 1 Lion City Cup) when he came off the back with his usual burst to launch his challenge at the 400m.

But the Lim’s Stable galloper could not quite reproduce the same dash, beaten in third place by Alibi and Infantry, only one length off the winner.

To Beasley, one of the reasons he put forward for the defeat was Lim’s Cruiser’s “sloppiness”.

“After the Lion City Cup, he got to the race a little too ‘cruisy’ for lack of a better word, too comfortable. He came out of the gates a bit sloppy,” he expounded.

“I thought I would be where Infantry was, but we ended up behind him. I wanted to be a bit closer to the speed.

“I have consciously worked him in a different way since, and I think Steve has done the same, just to make him sharper. We put the blinkers on to make him focus better the other day.

“He still does his work easy, but he won’t race in blinkers on raceday.

“He wore blinkers only once and that was in the EW Barker Trophy. He used to hang in early in his career.”

Beasley, who only came on board Lim’s Cruiser after Vlad Duric could not make the weight in the Rocket Man Sprint (1200m), would not swap his mount for any of the other 10 entries in the second Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, even if he has a healthy respect for the opposition.

“My horse is holding his form very well. I galloped him last Thursday and today; I do all his work and he’s ready to go,” said the Australian jockey.

“Today, he just did some even work over the half-mile and then ran 36 seconds. I couldn’t be happier with that workout.

“Last time, he put in a really good run (in the Stewards’ Cup). He goes up to the mile and that will really suit him.

“Hopefully he draws a good gate. Debt Collector is a very good horse, but I think my bloke is a bit sharper than him. Whoever gets the best run wins the race.”

– Singapore Turf Club

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