The Singapore heat is having a bearing on the preparations of Hong Kong's representatives for the million-dollar events at Kranji on Saturday, but trainers Ivan Allan and David Hayes both gave their runners positive reports yesterday.
Allan runs Olympic Express and the nine-year-old Indigenous in the $13 million Singapore Airlines International Cup, while his Centenary Sprint Cup winner Firebolt will oppose the Hayes-trained Charming City in the $4.3 million KrisFlyer Sprint.
'It's warm, about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. That's to be expected at any time of the year in Singapore,' said Allan, himself a former denizen of the Lion City. 'But the boxes are good and air-conditioned and the horses are comfortable.'
The four horses arrived together in Singapore last Wednesday and both trainers reported some weight losses.
'Generally, they all travelled well,' Allan said. 'A little bit light on landing but nothing to be alarmed about. Olympic Express is a bit more fragile than the others and lost a few pounds on the flight, but not too much. Normally I would bring horses over a little closer to the event, but with Singapore being so warm, they came a bit earlier to give them time to get over the travelling.'
Hayes said last-start Chairman's Sprint Prize winner Charming City had lost 25 pounds during his flight, but all in all was in good shape. 'He's really good. The weight he lost is no more than you would expect him to lose but he is eating and drinking well since arriving and I would estimate that, by race day, Charming City will be back to the same weight he was in the Chairman's Sprint,' he said.
The Australian added he had altered the sprinter's regular work routine for the climate.