Donna Logan, the only female trainer in Singapore will saddle Istataba, the only mare in the $300,000 Group 1 Raffles Cup (1600m) and the New Zealander reckoned Istataba will be back to her best on Sunday.
Now six years old, Istataba could be good enough to be competitive at the top level as she ran third behind Lim’s Kosciuszko in last year’s Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup (2000m).
That run was the daughter of Treasure Beach’s first start for Logan after transferring over ex-Kranji trainer Michael Clements in October last year. Connections then set in place a 12-month preparation for a tilt at the last ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup to be run on 5 October.
With the mile of the Raffles Cup fresh on the back of a very slick trial on 25 July which she won in the time of 59.84secs, it will be the prefect stepping stone to the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Cup (1800m) on 7 September and perhaps the Gold Cup glory too.
Both the Raffles Cup and the QEII Cup will be run at weight-for-age conditions while the Singapore Gold Cup will be a handicap race, but Logan was still confident Istataba will be more than competitive on Sunday.
“The (Grand) Singapore Gold Cup is her race,” explained Logan.
“She will carry a light weight and we’d been planning for another crack at it (Singapore Gold Cup) since she placed in the race last year.
“But I can’t be happier with how she is going into the Raffles Cup. Although a mile is a tad short for her, you know good stayers usually run a good first-up race.
“I was also really surprised by how sharp she trialled the other day. We gave her a good freshen-up after she ran second to So Hi Class over 1800m (in a Class 3 race on 25 May) but she ran a very good time (in the trial) given she’s not a 1000m horse.
“There looks to be a good pace on in this race (Raffles Cup) and we have drawn nicely (in five), so (jockey) Carlos (Henrique) should be able to sit her in midfield and have every chance.”
Logan knew, however, that at the race conditions, the top gallopers will be very hard to beat.
“Realistically, we are all running for second place,” she said.
“Weight-for-age races sort out the ‘men’ from the ‘boys and girls’. The ‘man’ here would obviously be (trainer) Daniel’s (Meagher) good horse (Lim’s Kosciuszko).
“He has won everything and our only hope against horses like him would be to get over more distance and get a big pull in the weights.
“Even then, he (Lim’s Kosciuszko) won the bloody race (Singapore Gold Cup) last year while giving us and most others eight kilos!
“And I think Lim’s Saltoro is a very good horse, a real fighter. But he has to prove himself at weight-for-age.
“But again, my girl (Istataba) is always competitive, and I think she will run well.
“Hopefully there is some rain too, not super wet but she appreciates the fire out of the track.”
Apart from Istataba, Logan will saddle another seven runners on the 10-card meeting. She hoped Stenmark (x Medaglia D’oro) can send jockey Darren Danis off a winner in the $70,000 Gilt Complex 2017 Stakes, a Class 3 Division 2 race over 1200m.
“It will be Darren’s last meeting in Singapore before he heads back to New Zealand,” she continued.
“I haven’t given him a winner yet, so it would be nice to get a photo with him at the winners’ circle.
“He has placed twice (two thirds) for me, so hopefully Stenmark can get the job done again.
“He (Stenmark) obviously enjoyed a drop to Class 4 company at his last start (won over 1200m on 28 July) but he’s in form and gets in with a light weight (54.5kgs after a one-kilo claim from Danis).
“Also, watch the old boy Axel (x Darci Brahma in the Lim’s Lightning 2021 Stakes, a $50,000 Class 4 race over 1400m) if there is rain.
“(Jockey) Bernardo (Pinheiro) is one-for-one on him (won in a Class 4 race over 1400m on 25 May) and I think Axel has another win in him before he says goodbye to racing.
“He’s (Axel) been a war horse for the stable and we have already booked him in to retire at a riding school in Malaysia. He deserves a good holiday home.”
– Singapore Turf Club
