Clements' nice trio turn on the style
Greatham Girl, Global Kid and Harry Dream produce good gallops ahead of Sunday races
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Brian Miller
On a cloudy, overcast morning, much like what we have been experiencing recently, it took a trio from trainer Michael Clements' yard to brighten up the day.
They were Greatham Girl, Global Kid and Harry Dream.
Clements is sitting on third spot on the trainers' log with 30 winners.
He drew a blank on Lion City Cup Day and, although he has entered just six runners for Sunday's 11-race card, it is a tight and taut team which could produce a win - maybe two.
In preparation for the weekend, Greatham Girl was put through the grinder.
With Louis-Philippe Beuzelin in the saddle, Greatham Girl galloped over the 600m in 41.3sec.
She started her sprint from the top of the straight.
Then, picking up stablemate Global Kid for her second lap, she gave trackwatchers a rousing encore. She clocked a swift 36.1sec.
Clements' apprentice jockey Ibrahim Mamat was on Global Kid, who also sprinted from the top of the straight in his first lap and covered 600m in 40.7sec.
Earlier in the morning, Harry Dream lapped it up from the 600m mark to cover the distance in a fluent 39.7sec.
The three-time winner had Ealami (Ibrahim) for company.
Back to Greatham Girl, she goes over the flying Poly 1,000m in what looks like an interesting Class 4 sprint.
On paper, the trip might seem a tad short and sharp for the mare.
Her wins have been over the Poly 1,100m and 1,400m on turf.
But she has a great motor in that big frame of hers.
If she gets into her groove early, she could be the one running them down over the concluding stages.
Last time in a Poly 1,100m sprint on July 24, Beuzelin had Greatham Girl's backers biting down their nails when he took a back seat in the race.
But the Frenchman knew what he was doing.
Having ridden the mare in nine of her 11 starts, he knew that he was on a good horse.
True to form, when he did press the button, Greatham Girl responded.
Showing a great turn of hoof, she hit the front and cleared away to beat Elliot Ness by 11/2 lengths.
She gets to stay in Class 4 and, contrary to what some might think, the "minimum trip" of 1,000m might not pose that much of a setback for the in-form five-year-old.
Like his stablemate, Global Kid is also a last-start winner who has the tools to make it two on the bounce.
One of a growing number of Argentinian-breds racing at Kranji, Global Kid can stay "til' the cows come home".
Indeed, he demonstrated that at his last start when beating Green Star by a cool 21/2 lengths.
That was over the 1,800m and he did it in the style of a true stayer.
He came home from a spot just off midfield to romp home unchallenged.
The extra 200m on Sunday should not pose a problem.
If anything, it just might be to his advantage.
As for Harry Dream, she has been a good earner for Clements and her connections.
Three times already, they have had their pictures taken with her at the winners' enclosure.
The last time was in March, when the mare beat Billy Elliot over the 1,400m on grass.
That day, she came from sixth at the top of the stretch to overhaul the frontrunners.
It may seem like Sunday's Poly 1,000m could demand much more from this just-turned five-year-old.
But she is a daughter of the late Pins, which means she has some good blood flowing through her veins.
Harry Dream has already won three from 10 starts. A fourth win would not surprise.
Yesterday's fast work by horses engaged at Kranji on Sunday
CLASS 3 - 1,600M
Gold Strike (M. Lerner) canter/43.2. Savvy Command * (C.C. Wong) 38.8. Luck Of Master (B. Pinheiro) canter/36.9.
Cheval Blanc (L. Beuzelin) 38.6.
Street Cry Success * (W.H. Kok) 38.6. Big Tiger * 38.2.
CLASS 4 - 2,000M
King Louis * (T. Krisna) canter/38.2. Global Kid *
(M. Ibrahim) 40.7/36.1. Great Expectation (Beuzelin) 39.8.
Centurion (S. Shafrizal) canter/42.2. Laksana 40.9.
CLASS 4 (1) - 1,000M
Harry Dream * 39.7. Opunake (T.H. Koh) pace work. Rocket Ryane * (J. Bayliss) canter/38.1.
Yes One Ball (Krisna) 38.1.
Magnifique 44.5. Basilisk pace work.
CLASS 4 (2) - 1,000M
Ablest Ascend 43.2/36.1. Greatham Girl * (Beuzelin) 41.3/36.1. Rocketship * (Krisna) 42. Last Samurai (Pinheiro) 41.7.
Super Dynasty 44.8. Master Ryker 36.9. Per Incrown * (Koh) 36.3.
CLASS 5 - 1,700M
Lion Spirit * (Pinheiro) 40.4.
Knight Command canter/43.3.
Heng Xing canter/42.6. Maximilian * (Koh) 35.9.
Gingerman 40.4. Scooter * 39.3.
CLASS 5 (1) - 1,200M
Nate's Champion * (V. Duric) 40.1.
Northern Sun * 36.3. Bounty Rainbows 40.8. Ealami (Ibrahim) 39.7. Super Generous (Koh) 41.5.
Beyond Sacred (M. Ewe) 41.9.
CLASS 5 (2) - 1,200M
Helushka 44.7. Braced 44.2.
Gamely * (F. Yusoff) 37.4.
Decreto (Ewe) 44.5.
High Limit * (Wong) 39.2.
CLASS 5 (1) - 1,000M
Hyde Park (Lerner) 42.1. Pindus * 39.1. Super Posh * 37.7.
CLASS 5 (2) - 1,000M
Sun Step * (P.H. Seow) 36.3.
Fight To Victory 39.1. Cash Out 38.7.
MAIDEN - 1,200M
Simon (Lerner) 42.1. Free And Happy 43.7. Narzar (Koh) 43.7.
Battle Win 41.6. Ibex * (Pinheiro) 36.4. Chosen One canter/44.5.
Burgundy Lad 37.1.
OPEN MAIDEN - 1,600M
Liebestraum * (Lerner) 39.5.
Engine Start * (Wong) 43.8.
Nineoneone (K. A'Isisuhairi) 37.1.
Cash Cheque 38.4.
