Lim's Lightning is Beasley's Mile choice

After plotting different career paths all this while, star stablemates Lim's Lightning and Lim's Kosciuszko may well be locked in a mouth-watering battle of brothers in the Kranji Mile on May 21, but their regular partner Danny Beasley is surprisingly not really torn between the two.

Most would have pictured the Australian hoop tossing and turning over the dilemma at night.

One is the reigning Singapore Horse of the Year, who swept all before him last year - three Group 1 wins - while the younger Lim's Kosciuszko, who is incidentally often tagged as Lim's Lightning's heir apparent, still holds an unblemished record in seven starts.

Beasley knows the score and does not need any reminders about their glittering credentials, but he has no doubt whom he will be astride in the $1 million Group 1 race on May 21.

"Both horses are doing very well, both are happy and healthy, but it has always been pretty clear which one I would ride if (trainer) Daniel (Meagher) runs both in the Kranji Mile - it'll be Lim's Lightning," said Beasley.

Logical and sensible to stick solid with the proven thing. After all, Lim's Kosciuszko has still not ticked a few boxes yet - one being the 1,600m which he will be attempting for the first time tomorrow in the $100,000 Class 1 event.

Thrilled to be in the plate, Beasley sounded bullish about the Kermadec four-year-old's chances at that first mile test, while qualifying certain reservations.

"I'm pretty confident about Saturday, but it'll be his biggest challenge to date, even if it's a small field," he said.

"He carries the topweight (57kg) and gives weight to some very good opposition. He's also stepping up to 1,600m for the first time, but he's bred to get the distance.

"To be honest, he hasn't really been racing like a miler as we always saw him as a very good sprinter, the 1,200m and 1,400m (are) his right distances. But he won so convincingly over 1,400m, and you turn four only once.

"So, we thought about the (Singapore) Derby, we don't think it'll be a strong Derby this year (July 17).

"At any other year, he wouldn't be going for the Kranji Mile, but the race was on his way through to the Derby and we thought it was a good opportunity to go for the mile.

"Win, lose or draw, Saturday's race will be a good stepping stone, and his toughest test by far."

Asked if he had any butterflies about Lim's Kosciuszko's perfect record coming to an end tomorrow, the level-headed Beasley was his usual cool self.

He does know about the stress that comes with keeping a winning streak going, even if he has not ridden any Frankel or Black Caviar (both unbeaten global racing icons), or closer to his era, Rocket Man or Better Than Ever (the bubble did burst for our two local heroes).

But the 46-year-old jockey and winner of more than 2,000 races, mostly in Australia and Singapore - including 23 at Group 1 level - is an old hand at handling such pressure-cooker situations.

"I can't remember if I have been similarly associated with a horse who won seven from seven, but when War Affair won the first two Legs of the Triple Crown (Kranji Mile and Raffles Cup), there was a lot of pressure heading towards the (Singapore) Gold Cup," said Beasley, who has called Singapore home since 2007.

"Back in my riding days in Australia, expectations were also high for Grand Armee in the lead-up to another big win.

"But these days, with experience and age, my career has evolved and I'm comfortable with such situations. I don't think about it."