THE Singaporean lion roared on Saturday, rising from his early-season slumber to snare a treble. Champion handler Ivan Allan has another top opportunity at tonight's Happy Valley meeting with the speedy All-Winners who was given a solid breeze down the straight on the main Sha Tin worktrack yesterday morning. All-Winners worked in company with stablemates Multi-National and Sumotori and kept on most strongly to the line, holding the former over the last 50 metres while Sumotori was not asked to really compete. Having knocked up over 1,235 metres on his reappearance, All-Winners is now looking appreciably fitter and is well drawn for his 975-metre contest. On this gallop he will be very hard to leave out of the quinella. Allan also put a good piece of work into his last start winner, Explorer. He went with Pasha and Applause. Pasha was restrained behind the others until the final 300 metres where he was produced to join Explorer but it was Explorer who looked the stronger of the two at the end of their work with Pasha's head at somewhat of angle which is not a great sign. Allan's Grand Warrior impressed on the grass with a quality hitout ahead of All Thrills. The application of blinkers worked a treat for Patrick Biancone's Aqua Princess. She has found 1,200 and 1,400 metres on the short side this season, having looked a decent prospect when beating Peony on her only start last term. Yesterday the blinkers had a revitalising effect as she cleared right away from Ring The Cabin in a most impressive piece. She's one to look out for in her coming engagements. Geoff Lane's Shine has caught the eye in his two races over 1,200 metres this season and yesterday Shine shone in his trackwork. He went every bit as well, if not better than the in-form Shining Star and is another well worth keeping the betting bank buoyant for a future punt - particularly if pushed up in distance. Looking forward to Saturday's feature Stewards' Cup, John Moore gave his dashing debutant winner, Makarpura Star, a solid but not spectacular workout on the grass. The star grass gallopers were Neville Begg's Deerfield who is just coming right; Lawrie Fownes' China Cruise who positively flowed to the line and his Kadbridge who came back from his work on his toes, ears pricked and as happy as a sandboy. He's a lovely horse. There were also four trials on the all-weather. A modest opening heat went to Fownes' Vitality but he was hard ridden to score from Tony P. H. Chan's speedy Baskerville who appears to have a future. The second was won in all-the-way style by the Derek Cruz-trained Aubade from Moore's Jogador. who has another race in him on the equitrack.
