BAKEEL ALL SET TO GO TWO BETTER

Burridge’s top 3YO banking on Classic’s 400m and better draw

- Michael Lee

Champion jockey Manoel Nunes is confident Bakeel will go closer in the $150,000 Group 2 Singapore Three-Year-Old Classic (1,400m) on April 27.

The Brazilian always felt 1,400m to 1,600m were more up the alley of the son of Sioux Nation, but was still not disappointed with his last-start third to Ace Of Diamonds in the Group 3 Singapore Three-YearOld Sprint (1,200m) on April 6.

Sent off as the second favourite, the Steven Burridge-trained galloper had to settle last from his widest alley in nine.

That was not a major concern given his come-from-behind racing pattern, but Murphy's law kicked in.

"Things didn't work out for him that day," said Nunes.

"At the first turn before going into the back straight, we got checked when (Ryan) Curatolo's horse (Last Supper) cut in.

"I was trying to stay on the back of Ace Of Diamonds, but I got further back than I wanted.

"He was also off the bridle. That's why I had to go around off the back, and whack him so as not to lose contact." As a result, that early mid-race move saw the two-time winner (1,200m to 1,400m) flushed out four wide in a compact field, with the short course C compounding matters further.

"The short course C made it even harder for Nunes.