BOLD RUNNER READY TO RUN A TOP RACE

Richard Lim's newcomer Elite Boy shows speed in his barrier trial win

- Brian Miller

Set to contest the feature race on April 6, the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run 2023 Graduate Cup (1,400m), Bold Runner and Dream Ma flexed their muscles at the trials held on the morning of April 2.

And, from what track-watchers saw of the pair, it is perhaps safe to say that the two will be among the runners carrying support at the betting windows.

First to show off was Bold Runner. The Contributer three-year-old lined up in the second trial with a set of blinkers fitted on.

It did not seem to bother him and he showed some early cheek, disputing the lead with Warrior Sixty-One.

The pair were locked together for most of the 1,000m trip and, in a heads-up-heads-down surge to the line, Warrior Sixty-One beat Bold Runner by a shorthead.

They did the trip in a moderate time of 1min 02.57sec. But most of it was eaten up by the slow pace into the home stretch.

Trained by Ananthen Kuppan, Bold Runner could develop into something useful.

That became evident when, on Sept 22, he pulled off a fighting win on debut.

Ridden by Ruzaini Supien, who rode a masterful race, they beat Yes Man who had the services of former Kranji hoop, Bernardo Pinheiro.