Switchblade on the hunt for a Derby

Craig Brennan
Wednesday, February 24, 2010

One of Singapore’s best bred gallopers lines-up on Friday night in the hope it may lead to a Derby success in a couple of month’s time.

Switchblade will be lining-up for the second run of his current campaign which is being aimed at the gelding winning the RM500,000 Perak Derby on April 25.

A son of the 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus from the 1997 Cox Plate winning mare Dane Ripper, Switchblade was an eye-catching first-up second to champion sprinter Rocket Man in the Kranji Stakes A over 1200m on the Polytrack on February 7.

Switchblade shows his winning style on the Polytrack.

Switchblade takes on the likes of Jolie’s Shinju, Fantastic Owners, Super Gold and Waipapa in the Kranji Stakes A over 1400m on the turf on Friday night.

Trainer Stephen Burridge, currently sitting on top of the Trainer’s Premiership Table with 16 victories, said Switchblade would run on Friday night before backing up in the $150,000 Marsling Classic over 1800m on the Polytrack on Sunday week – March 7.

“He’ll run on Friday night and then back-up over 1800m next week and then it is up to Malaysia for the Perak Derby,” said Burridge.

“He loves the Polytrack and the race on Sunday week is worth $150,000. It looks a nice race for him.”

Burridge said Switchblade, owned by the Arexevan Racing Stable, would be transferred to the care of Richard Lines for the final stages of his preparation leading up to the Perak Derby, before returning to Singapore.

“The owners are keen on winning the Derby and have had some success with Richard in the past,” said Burridge.

“One of their horses – Hint – was with us for a while but had a bit of a leg problem and went up to Malaysia for a break. He came good and won his last start for Richard and is coming back to us here in Singapore.”

Burridge tipped Switchblade in at the deep end towards the end of his last campaign which saw the gelding contest the Group 1 Singapore Derby over 2000m, finishing tenth behind Jolie’s Shinju.

Two more runs followed on the Polytrack for the gelding before Burridge elected to send him for a well-earned break.

“He had a good break and came back here nice and fresh,” said Burridge. “I think that showed with his first-up run.”

Switchblade surprised Burridge with his first-up second behind Rocket Man – although four-and-a-half lengths astern – but he wasn’t surprised with his finishing effort.

“I knew the 1200m would be too short but I did think he would be running on at the finish,” said Burridge.

“I thought if he finished fourth or fifth then it would be a good run, so to finish second behind Rocket Man did surprise me a bit.

“But he pulled up extremely well from the run, but he needs another run before the 1800m race and this race fits in perfectly for him.”

A former Sydney-trained galloper, Switchblade has raced in Singapore on 15 occasions, registering three wins with a five further placings.

But it is on the Polytrack that Switchblade’s statistics really shine through, having raced on the surface on 10 occasions, registering his three wins and five placings.

His worst Polytrack performance was two starts back when ninth of 11, beaten 7.7 lengths behind Abdicate on August 23, after which he was immediately spelled.

While Switchblade’s turf record is inferior to his Polytrack statistics, Burridge is not writing off the gelding on Friday night.

“He will be giving them a start, but providing he is finishing the race off well then I’ll be happy,” he said.

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