The S$3.05-million (US$2.25 million) CECF Singapore Cup, the richest race ever to be staged in the country, has attracted 11 entries from four countries for the 1800-meter contest at Kranji Racecourse Sunday, Feb. 22. Eight internationally based runners–three from the United States and Australia and two from France–will join a trio of horses conditioned locally in the inaugural running of the event.
The highest-rated entrant is the Christophe Clement-trained Parranda (English Channel). A three-time stakes winner while under the care of Rodolfo Garcia, the chestnut was acquired by Jerry Hollendorfer and partners and, once moved to California, won the GIII Wilshire S. and GII Royal Heroine S. and was runner-up in the GI Rodeo Drive S. She was also third to fellow China Horse Club purchase Iotapa (Afleet Alex) in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. in a single all-weather appearance. Parranda was subsequently knocked down to the China Horse Club for $800,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November sale and in her first appearance for those connections, proved a handy winner of the GIII Marshua's River S. at Gulfstream Jan. 10. Joining the 6-year-old on the trip to Singapore will be stablemate My Option (Belong to Me), while Bajan (Speightstown), third in last year's GI Santa Anita Oaks, will be saddled for the first time by English trainer Roger Varian.
Nicolas Clement, the elder France-based brother of Christophe, will also be represented in the CEFC Singapore Cup by Ming Zhi Cosmos (Fr) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), popular winner of the G3 Premio Sergio Cumani in Milan last September. Australian trainer John Thompson is two-fisted for the Cup, as he will saddle a pair of French-bred stayers, both by Le Havre (Ire). Auvray (Fr) won the 3000-meter G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay at Longchamp Oct. 4 and later that evening topped the Arqana Arc Sale on a bid of €800,000 from the CHC's Michael Wallace. Orbec (Fr) won the Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine over 2500 meters of heavy turf at Deauville Aug. 29 and was the third highest-priced lot at the Arc sale at €600,000.
The three horses trained at Kranji by Michael Freedman include British import Tropaios (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}), who made headlines when annexing the prestigious Singapore Gold Cup in the China Horse Club silks back in November 2013.
The China Equine Cultural Festival takes place in Singapore during Chinese New Year celebrations Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21 and 22.
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